Cyclone Komen has hit hard the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Road under Cox’s Bazar district leaving more than 50,000 residents of Matarbari and Dholghata unions into severe adversity.
The road currently lies mostly submerged during both high tide and low tide while saline water intrudes residential areas overflowing the road.
The high tide has devoured the famous prawn enclosures known as “white gold” in the area and crop lands. Locals said the road was in a dilapidated condition and had turned into a death trap.
Master Ruhul Amin, a resident of Maijpara area under Matarbari union, said: “Trade and commercial activities are largely hampered in the area. High tide has devoured more than 1000 thatched houses across the road.”
Selim Ullah, a local Jubo League leader said the main road of Matarbari had collapsed, therefore, more than one lakh people under Matarbari-Dholghata unions were facing difficulties.
During full moon, the level of high tide increases leaving around 15 villages under Matarbari union under Moheshkhali island upazila flooded. In these areas, thousands of people, particularly the homeless ones, are in distress. Scarcity of food has added to their woes.
The road linking Chaliatoli to Matarbari is in shambles. Even people cannot walk over it, let alone vehicles, a number of villagers told this correspondent.
Daily lives have been paralysed as communication has been snapped between Matarbari and two unions including Dholghata, following the collapse of the road due to cyclone Komen.
Both narrow and wide roads in Matarbari Mogdeil, Rajghat, Fuljanmura villages under Moheshkhali upazila, Telipara, Mudirchhora, Kutubjomer Tajiakata, Sonadiya, Ghotibhanga, Hunaiar Chhora, and Chorpara villages are in a sorry state. Vehicles cannot ply through the roads.
Moheshkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Anwarul Naser told the Dhaka Tribune: “Top brass government officials including nine secretaries have visited the road and assured of repairing it soon. So I hope it will be repaired soon.”
Ashek Ullah Rafiq, MP of Moheshkhali-Kutubdia seat, said: “It has become hard to send relief materials to the Komen affected villages through the rickety road.
“As the coal power plant in Matarbari-Dholghata is being constructed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has compared the area with Tungipara. She has ordered to repair the damaged roads. Very soon the roads will be reconstructed,” said the MP.
