Road under water for 10 days

Convoys of rickshaw vans carry passengers on Satkhira-Khulna road at Mirzapur in Satkhira district yesterday as waterlogging since September 6 has stopped plying of buses in the area.Photo: STAROur Correspondent, Satkhira

Direct road link between Satkhira and Khulna has remained snapped since September 6 as about two-kilometre long portion from Mirzapur to Noapara on Satkhira-Khulna road went under water from overflowing Kabodak River.

Water is flowing about three to four feet high at Mirzapur on the road and passengers to and from Satkhira and Khulna have to use boat or rickshaw van to cross the area, sources said.

The situation ahead of Eid-ul-Fitre and Durga Puja is causing immense suffering to thousands of passengers who have to count extra money to cross the inundated portion.

Businessmen and shrimp traders are also suffering a lot as transport of goods is hampered, sources said.

At least 227 villages in Tala upazila have been inundated and about 2,00,000 people living on the banks of the silted Kabodak River have become marooned as water from overflowing river created water logging there since September 6.

When contacted, Executive Engineer Abdur Rahim of Satkhira Roads and Highways Department said, “The government has sanctioned Tk 23 crore to repair the damaged road including Noapara-Mirzapur portion on Satkhira-Khulna road. But it will not be possible to repair the inundated road until water recedes.”

Thousands of residents of Tala upazila town are suffering as downpour for several days along with water from overflowing Kabodak River caused waterlogging in most of the areas in the upazila town.

Their movement I hampered as all the roads of the town have gone under three feet to four feet rainwater.

Functioning at offices including the UNO office, banks, business establishments and educational institutions at Tala upazila headquarters have been hampered greatly as water entered there.

Rainwater and floodwater remain stagnant, creating water logging in the areas during the rainy season almost every year, as the water cannot recede due to lack of proper drainage system, said Tala Muktijoddha College Principal Enamul Haque.

Water logging on a vast swath of land poses a serious threat to livelihood and environment in the area, said Tala Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Nazrul Islam.