Road Crumbles in Katiadi, Leaving Two Villages Suffering

A nearly three kilometer road connecting West Sahasram and Koitoripara villages in Sahasram Dhuldia Union of Katiadi upazila, Kishoreganj, has fallen into severe disrepair after going unrepaired for years. Countless small and large potholes cover the road, and in some spots the asphalt and gravel have worn away completely, exposing bare soil underneath.

Even light rain fills these holes with water, forcing several thousand residents of the two villages to travel at risk every day. Locals say they have demanded repairs for years without any effective action, turning this key connecting road into a symbol of their suffering. Students, the elderly, pregnant women and seriously ill patients bear the worst of it.

A visit to the area confirmed deep potholes across various stretches of the main village road. In some places, the holes are so large that vehicles must slow down or swerve around them. When rain fills the potholes, drivers cannot judge their depth, creating constant risk of accidents for both vehicles and pedestrians.

Residents explain that students, farmers, laborers and people from all walks of life use this road daily to reach the upazila headquarters and nearby areas. Patients needing urgent care must also be taken through this same route to medical centers, but the road’s poor condition severely disrupts normal travel.

Local students Monir, Fahim, Siyam, Rima, Sufia and Moriom said walking to school or madrasa is difficult given the road’s condition. On rainy days they must wade through mud and water, sometimes carrying their shoes in hand, while vehicles passing by raise serious fear of accidents.

Residents say the damage disrupts not just daily commuting but also education and healthcare access, with the suffering peaking during the monsoon. When a sick person or a woman in labor needs urgent hospital transport, vehicles are often reluctant to come. Even when a vehicle is arranged, the severe jolting from the potholes puts patients at serious health risk.

Local resident Ms. Selina Begum said the road causes immense hardship for pregnant women and elderly patients. Vehicles are hard to find for emergency hospital trips, and drivers who are found often hesitate to take the trip. She said passengers travel in constant fear because of the jolting, adding that a pregnant woman recently suffered greatly while being taken to hospital along this road.

Residents of both villages say the road is not just a transit route but is directly tied to education, healthcare, transport of farm produce and daily life. They want a durable, permanent repair or full reconstruction of the road, not just temporary patching with soil or gravel.

Local political and community leaders echo the same complaints. Mr. Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan, general secretary of Sahasram Dhuldia Union BNP, said the two villages have long suffered severe neglect, and the road was never given proper attention in the past, worsening its current condition. He strongly urged swift, durable reconstruction of the road.

Local representatives, however, cite limited funding. Mr. Moharram Ali, panel chairman of Sahasram Dhuldia Union, said they are aware of the road’s poor state but could not carry out repairs due to lack of allocated funds in the past. He said a new project proposal has already been sent to the LGED office, and once funding is approved, the road will be paved on a priority basis.

Meanwhile, the upazila administration said it will inspect the road’s current condition on site and take necessary action. Katiadi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ms. Shamima Afroz Marliz said the issue of public suffering has come to their attention, and the upazila administration continuously works to improve rural connectivity. She said the upazila engineer will be instructed to inspect the road promptly, and after preparing an estimate, necessary legal steps will be taken for quick repair or fresh construction.