Potholes make journey on Dhaka-Khulna road difficult

Around 27 kilometers of Dhaka-Khulna highway from Jhenidah to Barobazar have been severely damaged due to faulty maintenance and downpour, much to the suffering of the commuters.

Roads and Highways Department invited tender for repair of the road in the first week of January, 2015, and the work was done in March.

While visiting the road on Monday, this correspondent saw around 500 big and small holes on the 27 kilometers stretch of the highway.

Passengers and drivers say they travel on that portion of the road amid risk of accident.

Ferozul Haq, secretary of Khulna Motor Bus Owners Association, said road accidents have increased due to the bad condition of the road. Besides, they are incurring huge loss due to wear and tear of their vehicles caused by the uneven and damaged road, he added.

Hamid Ali, a truck driver of Kaliganj upazila, said they cannot see some potholes on the road as they are filled with water. 

Noor Islam, an easy-bike passenger, said he narrowly escaped on Sunday when the easy-bike he was on was hit from behind by a Khulna bound passenger bus at Mahtab Uddin degree college area in Kaliganj upazila.

Executive Engineer Md Rofikul Islam of Jhenidah Roads and Highways Department said numerous cracks have developed on the road due to the heavy rain that occurred in the month of June. If the weather is good we will start repairing the road.