Dharmapasha’s broken lifeline: 2.5 lakh farmers in despair due to decaying road

A 20-kilometer road connecting Dharmapasha and Madhyanagar upazilas in Sunamganj district has become a nightmare for locals and farmers, as years of neglect have turned the vital route into a death trap—crippling transport, trade, and livelihoods across the haor region.

The only road linking the haor-surrounded upazilas serves as the lifeline for hundreds of thousands of residents. Stretching across flood-prone wetlands, it is the sole route for transporting food, agricultural produce, fish, and other goods. Without this route, local life and commerce would come to a standstill.

Each year, the region’s 52,000 hectares of farmland yield several hundred thousand metric tons of rice, while fish from the Tanguar Haor and nearby water bodies are supplied nationwide.

However, prolonged negligence has left it nearly impassable. Farmers and fishermen are unable to take their produce to markets on time, losing fair prices and suffering severe economic losses. The damage affects nearly 250,000 farmers and has dealt a blow to the local economy.

Once maintained by Sunamganj Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the road was transferred to Netrokona RHD in August 2015. Since then, locals allege it has suffered persistent neglect due to poor coordination between the two districts and relevant agencies including RHD, LGED, and KCC.

The road, riddled with deep potholes and erosion, now poses constant danger to vehicles and pedestrians. Small accidents occur daily, and traffic congestion worsens as vehicles struggle to pass through the narrow, broken stretches. Despite repeated protests, human chains, and demands for renovation, no initiative had been taken.

Although a 20-kilometer stretch was repaired in 2017, substandard work caused it to deteriorate within months. Flooding and poor structural quality have further damaged several sections, especially between Golikhali and Madhyanagar. While 10 kilometers from Gachtala Bazar to Madhyanagar were repaired last year, the remaining half remains in ruins.

Locals describe the road as perilous, particularly near Vijay 24 Square, Dharmapasha Rural Electricity Office, the Upazila Health Complex, and several villages including Syedpur, Matikata, and Baulam. Frequent accidents have injured many, including students and commuters. Residents and local leaders have long decried the neglect.

Former Paikurati Union Parishad chairman Md Sirajul Islam said, “We feel like orphans—no one cares about our suffering. Ever since the road was handed to Netrokona RHD, it has been ignored.”

Selbarsha UP chairman Golam Farid Khoka added, “This road passes through the Tanguar Haor tourism area, yet it remains in disrepair despite schools, hospitals, and public offices depending on it.”

Protesters under the banner Nagorik Odhikar Andolon staged a road blockade on October 27, halting traffic between Dharmapasha and Madhyanagar. Speakers warned that if no action was taken within 72 hours, they would announce tougher movements.

They also urged local administration officials to stop using official vehicles and instead travel by easybikes to experience the public’s suffering firsthand.

The protest was chaired by coordinator Mufti Molla Mahmud Hasan. Among others, Azharul Islam Dipto, Anik Majumdar, Mufti Mohsin Uddin, Mufid Shah, Jobayer Alam, and Nazmul Islam Topu addressed the gathering.

One of the movement’s members, Zahirul Islam, told reporters over the phone that his cousin was seriously injured earlier this month when an autorickshaw overturned on the damaged road after returning from an exam at Dharmapasha College. “She is still undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Orthopedic Ward. We want an immediate end to this death trap,” he said.

Following the protest, Shamim Hossain, a sub-assistant engineer of Netrokona RHD, confirmed that Tk 13 crore had been allocated for repairing the Dharmapasha-Gachtala section. The tender process will begin in November, with work expected to start between December and January.

On October 29, RHD officials, including executive engineer Partha Pratim and sub-assistant engineer Shamim Hossain, attended a coordination meeting at Dharmapasha Upazila Hall in the presence of UNO Jony Roy, political leaders, and civil activists. They assured locals that the repair of the 9-kilometer stretch—12 feet wide—would begin by January and that construction quality would be strictly maintained.

Residents now wait anxiously, hoping that this long-neglected lifeline will finally be restored before another season of hardship begins.