Road Neglect in Paikgachha Raises Safety Concerns for Locals

Residents of Paikgachha Upazila in Khulna are facing serious hardship due to the poor condition of an important rural road raising fresh questions about the quality and reach of local development efforts.

The road from Amurkata Bazar in Ward No. 3 of Soladana Union (No. 5) has remained in a damaged state for years. Once an essential communication route for nearby villages, it is now broken uneven and filled with potholes, making daily travel risky and uncertain.

Locals say the road is the only reliable route for accessing government offices, courts, schools and essential services in the upazila. However, long-term neglect has turned it into a hazardous passage especially for vans easy bikes, and other local transport.

At several points the brick pavement has collapsed or worn away, forcing vehicles and pedestrians to move with extreme caution. Many residents describe every journey as a risk to personal safety.

Local van driver Abdul Karim said, “When I travel on this road, I feel like I am risking my life. Vehicles often break down and my income has also dropped.”

Easybike driver Sohel Gazi expressed frustration saying, “We only hear promises. Work is never done. During elections, many come, but later no one follows up.”

Housewife Rahima Begum added “It is very risky to take sick people on this road. We always live in fear of accidents.”

Residents are demanding that the road be rebuilt properly with durable pavement instead of temporary brickwork. They say a permanent solution is necessary as the road directly affects daily life and local livelihoods.

Piyush Kanti Mandal Acting Chairman of Soladana Union Parishad (5th) said “We are aware of the poor condition of the Amurkata Bazar road. The suffering of local people is understood. The matter has been informed to the relevant department, and steps are being taken for urgent repair. If budget is allocated, the work will be prioritized.”

Despite assurances, residents question how long they will continue to endure such unsafe conditions and wait for meaningful development on a road they depend on every day.