Road at Betgari Haat in Gangachara Turns Into a Death Trap

A cattle market that earns crores of taka in lease money now has a connecting road in terrible condition. Residents and market goers face severe hardship every day because of this. Even a small amount of rain leaves the road filled with standing water in deep potholes.

Betgari Haat is a well known cattle market in Gangachara upazila under Rangpur. Every year it draws large crowds of buyers and sellers. Last year the market was leased out for two crore seventy five lakh taka, yet a key 500 meter stretch of its access road has become dangerous for local residents.

This 500 meter stretch runs along the Gangachara Betgari road, from the zero point of Betgari Haat to the Grameen Bank point. It is filled with countless potholes and large craters. After light rain, these holes fill with water and it becomes impossible to tell where the road ends and the pits begin. Pedestrians, students, cyclists, and rickshaw and auto rickshaw drivers and passengers face constant risk while using this stretch.

Locals say small and large accidents happen often on this part of the road, and conditions get even worse during rain. Many passengers choose to get off auto rickshaws and walk across the risky section rather than stay inside the vehicle, fearing an accident.

The Local Government Engineering Department, known as LGED, began development work last year on roads from Betgari to Kochua GC via Soyrabari Bazar, and from Betgari GC to Chandaner Haat. Work including WBM treatment was completed on the Betgari to Chandaner Haat road. However, the roughly 500 meter stretch from the market’s zero point to the Grameen Bank point was left without final carpeting, and work there was halted.

Residents say a large number of vehicles use this important road every day. Heavy vehicle traffic has caused the large potholes in this 500 meter section, and years without repair have made the holes deeper and more hazardous.

Traffic on this road increases further during the year when cattle trading peaks at Betgari Haat. Local people believe that if the risky stretch is not repaired quickly, the chances of accidents will only continue to rise.

One local resident said light rain is enough to flood the road, making it impossible to judge how deep the potholes are. The resident added that traveling by auto rickshaw, cycle rickshaw, or motorcycle is very dangerous, and passengers often have to get down and walk across on foot.

Another resident said the poor condition of the road has already been reported to the upazila LGED authorities. However, no effective action has been taken so far, forcing ordinary people to risk their lives every day just to travel on this road.

Local people are demanding urgent repair of the risky 500 meter stretch near Betgari Haat so that it becomes safe for traffic again. They specifically want the potholes filled, proper drainage installed, and the unfinished carpeting work completed quickly to prevent accidents during the rainy season.

Residents have expressed anger that such a profitable market generates huge revenue through its lease, yet its connecting road remains in such poor shape. They are asking why, if the market lease is worth crores of taka, the same authorities cannot manage to repair just 500 meters of its main access road after all this time.