The much needed repair work of the Habiganj-Baniachang regional highway has been stuck in a limbo since the countrywide blockade and hartals have been enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
About 10 lakh people of the two upazilas have been suffering untold miseries because of the sorry condition of the highway. The unfinished repair work has made commuting even more difficult.
Locals said the regional highway was the only road connectivity between Ajmiriganj-Baniachang upazilas and the district town. Besides, many people of Dirai-Shala upazila of Sunamganj use the road to travel to Dhaka and other parts of the country.
According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) of Habiganj, Tk7 crore 54 lakh was allocated to repair the 18-kilometre highway. Mohibur Rahman of Kulaura got the contract for the work.
The work order was given on November 25 of the last year and the work was supposed to be finished within April of this year.
However, a recent visit to the site found very little progress with the renovation.
It was only after the transport workers went on a strike that the contractor began the work and that too just for an eyewash.
On February 14, transport workers of Habiganj enforced a blockade demanding quick repair of the highway. Following the assurance from Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Shamsul Islam, they withdrew the blockade.
15 days later, the contractor began some minor drilling in 20 places of the highway. But after a few days they stopped citing political violence.
These digging, along with the already dilapidated condition of the highway, made commuting even worse.
Bus driver Nibaron said accidents were regularly happening on this road because of large potholes and uneven surface.
Mahmud Akhonji, a CNG-run autorickshaw driver, said it took him about an hour to travel the otherwise 30-min road.
A regular commuter Bajlul Amin Kashem complained about extra fare because of the poor condition of the road. He urged the authorities to finish the repair soon.
Jahangir Alam, executive engineer of RHD Habiganj, said the contractor could not gather the necessary equipment and materials due to the blockade and hartals. He, however, assured that the work would resume within a week.
Contractor Mohibur Rahman could not be reached for a comment on this.
MP of Habiganj-2 constituency Abdul Majid Khan, at a meeting on law and order, recently said he had instructed the concerned authorities to finish the work as soon as possible.
“I have also talked to minister Obaidul Quader in this regard,” he claimed and hoped that the work would commence without any delay.