Mud, potholes cripple Jashore-Khulna highway

The Jashore-Khulna highway, a vital artery for the country's southwestern trade routes, is now in a state of disrepair. Serving as the main corridor connecting Benapole along with Noapara river port, Mongla sea port, and Bhomra land port, the highway has become nearly impassable due to recent monsoon rains and unfinished work.

A five-kilometre stretch between Basundia and Chengutia has become particularly hazardous. Large potholes and mud make it difficult to even recognise this as a highway. Traffic has slowed to a crawl, and the transport of goods along this crucial route has ground to a near standstill.

According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), a total of Tk 321 crore has already been spent on reconstructing the 38-kilometre highway from Palbari intersection in Jashore to Rajghat in Abhaynagar. The project began in 2017 but, despite multiple deadline extensions, was only completed in 2023. An additional Tk 172 crore project is currently underway.

"The stretch from Rupdia to Noapara is riddled with potholes. The Chengutia to Basundia segment is especially dangerous," said truck driver Saiful Alam. "The road is covered in mud, and vehicles regularly get stuck or tip over. Trucks and buses are damaged daily. A single trip can take up to two or three days due to traffic jams."

According to RHD, reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roadwork is ongoing in segments of the highway, including a 700-metre portion at Murali junction. The full project includes 2,352 metres of construction, costing around Tk 31.68 crore, which began on March 23 this year.

Transport workers said over 4,500 vehicles use the highway daily.

Mohammad Khokon Molla, a union council member from Prembagh's Ward 8, said, "The road became completely unusable after the recent rainfall. The RHD has tried to mitigate the situation by laying bricks, but heavy vehicle movement has worsened it again."

"As a result, businesses dependent on the Noapara port have come to a halt, and during the peak Aman cultivation season, fertiliser delivery has been severely disrupted," he added.

Khairul Mia, a resident of Prembagh, said the stretch near Chengutia Bazar is home to three schools and colleges. "The muddy road is making it nearly impossible for students to attend school."

Abdul Goni Sardar, a fertiliser importer, said, "Noapara is not just a river port; it's an industrial hub. We handle around 60 percent of the country's fertiliser imports here. The current state of the highway has made transportation nearly impossible, especially the Chengutia to Basundia stretch. Truckers are refusing to come."

Contacted, Golam Kibria, executive engineer of Jashore Roads and Highways Division, said, "We are working on a 1,600-metre stretch from Chengutia to Basundia and 700 metres at Murali. Sudden rains have caused delays. If we get a few days of dry weather, we can accelerate the work."

Md Zakir Hossain, additional chief engineer of the Khulna Roads and Highways Department, said, "The road had not been repaired for a long time. Now a major project is underway. Though rains have disrupted progress, the contractor is still working. We've temporarily filled potholes with brick chips to maintain connectivity."