Roads show govt failure to deliver

Battered roads and highways in most parts of the country indicate the Awami League-led coalition government could not deliver on its electoral pledges of building a strong road network although half of its tenure has already passed.
In the run-up to the ninth parliamentary elections in December 2008, AL promised to undertake appropriate policy and projects for the road sector.
"An extensive road network in each district will connect villages, unions, upazilas and the district headquarters," said the AL election manifesto titled "A Charter for Change".
Other components of the AL-led grand alliance -- Jatiya Party, Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal -- also said in their manifestoes they would work for building better road network if voted to power.
"Flyovers and new roads will be built in the capital and all other densely populated cities to reduce traffic jam. Besides, a separate road network parallel to inter-district highways will be constructed only for movement of rickshaw, van, bus and other vehicles," promised Jatiya Party.
In line with their electoral pledges, the grand alliance candidates gave voters assurances of new roads and repairing old ones in their constituencies to ensure safe movement.
People also seemed to have confidence in the pledges and extended their wholehearted support to the AL-led alliance, ensuring its landslide victory in the election.
However, the communications ministry's poor performance in the last two and a half years made a mockery of the ruling alliance's electoral pledges as they remained only on papers, observed a good number of MPs of the ruling alliance while talking to The Daily Star.
"The Awami League in its election manifesto promised to build a countrywide strong road network. But the pledge remains unfulfilled, frustrating people," said Abdul Mannan, AL MP of Bogra- 1.
Lawmaker Abdul Matin Khasru from Comilla-5 said the government should right now come forward with a multidimensional and comprehensive approach to address the problems.
"We came to power by making so many good promises to the people. As MPs of the grand alliance, we cannot keep our eyes closed to their problems," added Matin Khasru.
Anisul Islam Mahmud, Jatiya Party MP of Chittagong-4, said the grand alliance in the run-up to the parliamentary polls promised to develop roads, infrastructures and control price hike of essentials. "But the way everything is moving is not satisfactory," he commented.
Majibar Rahman, Jatiya Party MP of Lalmonirhat-2, said, "All electoral pledges turned into a farce. People are getting frustrated. I don't see any ray of hope."
Rashed Khan Menon, Workers Party MP of Dhaka-8, said the government could not keep its electoral pledges to revamp the communications sector, control price of essentials, and maintain law and order.
"As a result, people's confidence in the government has eroded. The government must cement this right now; otherwise it will be too late and people will turn their faces from the government," Menon observed.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain however doesn't see his ministry's failure is much; he rather blames shortage of fund for the sorry state of roads and highways.
On the other hand, Finance Minister AMA Muhith does not recognise any fund crisis and puts the blame on lack of proper planning by the communications ministry.
Talking to The Daily Star, the ruling alliance MPs also expressed their frustration and resentment over the poor performance of the communications ministry that completely failed to work in line with the electoral pledges on road communications.
Last week, The Daily Star randomly talked to 50 MPs from 44 districts over the phone to know the condition of roads and highways in their areas.
Almost all MPs belonging to the AL and its alliance components Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Workers Party portrayed horrible pictures.
A number of MPs said they cannot properly launch campaigns in their areas to strengthen public relations and publicise the government's success thanks to the dilapidated roads.
"The condition of the highway running through Pabna seems a little better than those of other districts as fewer vehicles use it. But the roads connecting upazilas with the district headquarters are now in a sorry state," said Golam Khandaker Faruk Prince, AL MP of Pabna-5.
Omor Faruk Chowdhury, AL MP of Rajshahi-1, said last week he travelled Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions and witnessed the sorry state of roads and highways.
"The worse condition of roads and highways shows how we have failed to deliver due to inefficiency of the communications ministry," said Chowdhury, also a member of the parliamentary standing committee on communications ministry.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Jatiya Party MP of Thakurgaon-3, said condition of some small roads constructed by the Local Government Engineering Department in his constituency is still better than the roads and highways belonging to the communications ministry.
He said vehicles with heavier loads are now forced to use the apparently better roads, which were not built for such vehicles. "Putting overload on those roads will eventually destroy those as well," he added.
Some MPs however said condition of the village roads constructed by the LGED of the LGRD ministry is not good due to lack of proper maintenance and repair.
Anwarul Ashraf Khan, AL MP of Narsingdi-2, has added woes. He fears the opposition will start demonstrating against him for the terrible road conditions.
He said a BNP central leader, who contests the parliamentary election from his constituency, has recently visited the area and announced that they would form a human chain to protest delay in repairing the roads.