PM opens all-weather Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road in Kishoreganj

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has formally inaugurated the Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram all-weather road in Kishoreganj for traffic.

She inaugurated the 29.73km road through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital on Thursday.

The road constructed at the cost of Tk874.08 crore connects three upazilas of Kishoreganj – Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram.

The Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road goes straight through the midst of the vast haor area in parallel with Dhanu and Baulai rivers starting from Itna Upazila Sadar to Austagram via Mithamoin Upazila.

The road has already been turned as one of the most beautiful destinations for particularly travelers, holidaymakers and thrill-seekers before its formal inauguration.

A huge number of tourists flock regularly to the area to enjoy the scenic beauty of the road and its surrounding Haor areas.

Almost half of Kishoreganj district, including four of its six upazilas - Itna, Mithamoin, Austagram, and Nikli-  is designated as a completely haor area, unique wetland ecosystems that during the monsoon resemble vast inland seas.

In 2016, President Abdul Hamid inaugurated the construction of the road in his ancestral district.

The road will also be connected to Sylhet-Brahmanbaria road in future and a plan has been taken to build a flyover on it.

The road popularly known as the "Haor Road" paved the way for direct road connectivity between the haor region and other parts of the country including Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong.

Later, the premier exchanged views with local people who were connected from Mithamoin Upazila. Local MPs and local dignitaries of Kishoreganj district were present in the Mithamoin end.

While exchanging views with local people, the PM said the road is a gift on behalf of President Abdul Hamid in the Mujib Borsho (Mujib Year).

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader delivered the welcome speech at the inaugural function conducted by PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus.

Secretary of Road Transport and Highway Division Md Nazrul Islam made an audio-visual presentation over the road project.

The Roads and Highways Department implemented the road project that includes the 29.732-km main highway, three PC girder bridges, 11 RCC Girder bridges, 62 RCC box-culverts, Road protection dam and land acquisition.