Most footbridges in Dhaka suffer from some combination of neglect -- be it dirt, foul odour, encroachment or poor maintenance.
One glaring example is the footbridge in front of Jamuna Future Park, one of the capital’s busiest commercial hubs. Once intended to ensure their safety, the overpass now greets users with the stench of urine and piles of waste, forcing many to hold their breath or cover their faces as they cross.
Adjacent to the sprawling mall lies the Bashundhara Residential Area and several educational institutions, making the area densely populated.
Yet, the footbridge is hardly usable, having turned into both a dumping ground and an unofficial marketplace for hawkers.
Locals say some pedestrians regularly urinate against the walls below the bridge, which, combined with the stifling heat, has turned the area into an unbearable zone of foul odours.
"It is not just unhygienic — this is a glaring stain on the image of a modern city," said Rabiul Islam, a frequent user of the footbridge.
A recent visit revealed heaps of garbage accumulating along the staircases, layers of dust covering the entire structure, and little sign of any cleaning efforts.
Many pedestrians resort to covering their faces with cloths, but even that does little to block out the stench.
Adding to the misery, hawkers occupy much of the bridge, leaving little room for pedestrians to walk freely.
According to nearby shopkeepers, city corporation cleaning staff are rarely seen at the site, and the escalator remains out of order most of the time.
Meera Rahman, a regular commuter on the route, said: "The stink from the footpath is so overwhelming that walking across is almost impossible. On top of that, the hawkers have practically taken over the bridge. This is not what a modern city should look like."
The issue is not limited to this single footbridge. Commuters say most pedestrian overpasses across Dhaka suffer from similar neglect.
In Mirpur 1, Nishat, a female pedestrian, described a similar situation. "You may not believe it, but sometimes people defecate right on the footbridge here. The smell is enough to make you throw up," she said.
She also pointed out the lack of security, with no lighting, CCTV surveillance, or even warning signs.
"This place is not just filthy, it is unsafe. Imagine how dangerous it gets for women after dark," she added.
Another commuter, Swapan Das, talked about his frustration with the footbridge in Mirpur 10.
"This footbridge probably sees the most use in the area, yet it feels like the weakest one structurally. Hawkers occupy every inch of the stairs, making it difficult to even get on or off," he complained.
When contacted, Mohammad Azaz, the administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation, acknowledged the problem.
"The condition of most footbridges in Dhaka is beyond description," he said.
He added that the city corporation is planning to assign security guards to high-traffic footbridges, much like residential buildings, and will instruct cleaning staff to maintain the cleanliness of these structures regularly, alongside the roads.
