Road digging, citizens' suffering

Every day, thousands of people rush through the roads and streets to reach their workplaces, educational institutions, or markets. But when these veins of the city suddenly rupture, the entire body becomes immobile. So, the city life comes to a halt. Swamibag in the capital is a mirror of that paralysed existence. From early morning, excavation work begins on the main road of Swamibag, creating a crisis. Mud from the cut sections in the middle of the road spreads across the entire street. Those who left home for offices or schools in the morning find themselves trapped in mud by noon. In some places, the mud reaches knee-deep; in others, upto waist. People slip and get injured, clothes ruinedand some struggle helplessly to return home.
Similar situations repeat in various parts of the city. The picture is the same, the problem is the same-only the location changes; the suffering does not.
The primary cause of Swamibag's current plight is a lack of planning. Alternative routes were not arranged before the digging. The solution is not a mystery. With a bit of awareness and planning, such suffering can be avoided. Informing locals before work begins, keeping alternative routes open, scheduling work outside office and school hours, using modern machinery to finish quickly-these are not new concepts. Yet, surprisingly, they are ignored every time.

Md. Rished Ahmed, Student
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism
Jagannath University, Dhaka
mdrishedahmed@gmail.com