A key road connecting Satair, Dobra and Dadpur in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur has deteriorated severely due to years of inadequate maintenance, causing serious inconvenience and safety concerns for local residents.
The approximately 5.5-kilometre road is riddled with numerous potholes of varying sizes. In several places, the asphalt has worn away, while deep craters have developed elsewhere. The situation becomes particularly dangerous after rainfall, when the potholes fill with water and their depth becomes difficult to determine.
Locals say the road has effectively turned into a “death trap” instead of a safe route for everyday travel.
Hundreds of people and vehicles use the road every day, including school and college students, farmers, traders, service holders and residents from surrounding areas. Vehicles carrying patients also have to navigate the damaged road at considerable risk.
Drivers frequently move toward the edge of the road or switch sides to avoid potholes, increasing the risk of head-on collisions, loss of vehicle control and vehicles falling into nearby ponds or ditches.
Shahid Sheikh, a local resident, said the road has become extremely dangerous for both vehicles and pedestrians.
“Vehicles often lose control and fall into ponds beside the road. Accidents happen here frequently,” he said.
Another resident, Jamal Molla, said it is difficult to tell whether some sections are actually paved roads because of the uneven surface and extensive damage.
Nasimmon driver Kayem Biswas, who regularly transports goods along the road, said he remains worried every time he travels through the area.
According to him, repeated impacts from potholes are damaging vehicle components, while the possibility of a major accident remains high.
A local van driver said a pickup recently collided with his van and fell into a roadside pond. No one was killed in the incident, but residents fear a more serious accident could occur if the road remains unrepaired.
A pedestrian said schoolchildren, elderly people and children are particularly vulnerable because they have to use the damaged road regularly. The difficulties become even greater when patients are transported through the area.
Local resident Md Pachu Sheikh said vehicles frequently overturn on the road.
He identified several particularly damaged sections, including areas near the homes of Khalek Matubbar, Selim Shikdar, Tuzam Shikdar, Kalam, Siraj, Habibur Rahman, Nazrul and Rezaul, and called for urgent repairs.
Residents say the prolonged lack of maintenance has turned daily commuting into a source of anxiety. During rain, water-filled potholes significantly increase the risk of accidents.
Boalmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) S M Rakibul Hasan said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has been instructed to take steps to repair important roads in the upazila.
He said an estimate would be prepared and repairs would be arranged using available funds.
Boalmari Upazila Engineer Purnendu Saha said the Satair-Dobra-Dadpur road is approximately 5.5 kilometres long and is listed in the relevant infrastructure database.
He said the road has been included in a proposed Faridpur-Rajbari project, and work is expected to begin once the project receives approval.
While residents welcome the prospect of a long-term project, they question how long they must wait for project approval while continuing to face daily risks.
They are calling for immediate emergency repairs to the worst potholes until the proposed project is approved and full-scale renovation begins.
Residents believe temporary repairs would reduce the risk of accidents and help ensure safer movement for pedestrians, students, patients and vehicles.
