Dashuria intersection: A sight for sore eyes

Trucker Iqbal Hossain who crosses long distances often feels tired and exhausted but the glimpse of a host of beautiful flowers at Dashuria intersection in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila on Bonpara-Kushtia highway refreshes and energises his mind.

"The long and tiring journeys often make us bored. Traffic jams and damaged roads add to our sufferings. But the sight at Dashuria intersection soothes our eyes; it invigorates us," Iqbal said.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Pabna has turned a garbage dumping site into a beautiful flower garden which is very pleasing to the eyes.

Schoolteacher Muslima Khatun has to wait for a bus at Dashuria intersection.

"Waiting for a bus is an arduous task especially on a busy intersection but the presence of the host of flowers makes it easy," she said.

"The flower garden spreads beauty and makes the waiting process less arduous giving a respite for the eyes," Muslima added.

Talking with The Daily Star, Md Amanullah, sub-divisional engineer of RHD in Pabna, said that the beautification work was taken marking the Mujib Borsho and 50 years of independence of the country.

"The higher authority directed us to do something for celebrating the occasions.  We came up with a plan to make a flower garden here at Dashuria intersection in November last year," Amanullah said.

"This is one of the biggest intersections, which was occupied with garbage. Removing the garbage, we made a flower garden planting over six thousand marigold flower plants," he added.

A water pump was also set up here in the intersection for watering the garden spending around Tk one lakh, Amanullah said, adding that a temporary worker has also been employed for maintaining the garden.

The RHD installed a statue of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the middle of the intersection a few years ago. Now the flowers at the pedestal of the statue have added to the beauty of the busy intersection.

Dashuria intersection is a key point to communicate with the southern and northern districts while thousands of vehicles cross the intersection every day.

"The beautification work in the busy intersection has garnered much appreciation, said Md Abul Mansur, executive engineer of RHD in Pabna.

"Now, we are planning to replicate such beautification work in other intersections of the district as well," he added.