Footpaths in the busy city of Narayanganj, meant to ease the movement of pedestrians, have now turned into a source of constant suffering.
From illegal hawker occupation and haphazard motorcycle parking to months-long drain construction work, the city’s sidewalks are barely walkable, causing immense hardship for residents.
Visiting the city’s key roads on Tuesday—starting from Chashara to Gate No 2 on Bangabandhu Road and from Amlapara Mor to Gate No 1 on Sirajuddowla Road—the correspondent found the extent of the chaos.
On one side of Bangabandhu Road, sections of the footpath have been demolished for drainage work, with piles of waste dumped on the roadside.
Frequent rainfall over the past few days has worsened the situation by spreading filth and stench across the roads, resulting in waterlogging at several points.
The portions of the footpath not under construction are either being used as parking spaces for motorcycles or have been occupied by hawkers.
As a result, pedestrians are left with no choice but to navigate through the clutter or walk along the edge of the main road, risking accidents amidst the city’s relentless traffic.
The situation is no better on Sirajuddowla Road, where large ditches have been dug for drainage work from Amlapara Mor to Kalirbazar.
The excavated soil has been piled up on the roadside, making the area nearly impassable—even for pedestrians, who now resort to crossing using a few scattered bricks.
From Kalirbazar to Gate No 1, the footpath has been overtaken by hawkers, vendors, and vehicles belonging to various companies, leaving virtually no space for pedestrians.
Expressing his frustration, Roushan, a shopkeeper from the city’s DIT area, said: “This problem didn’t start today. It’s been like this for years. Authorities sometimes carry out eviction drives, but within days, everything returns to the same mess. Earlier, we could at least manage to walk. Now, with the ongoing drainage work, the sidewalks are broken and there’s no space left to walk.
"You take one or two steps forward and you’re blocked by debris or garbage. Who knows when this government project will end? Governments change, but our suffering remains.”
Businessman Ahsan added: “Even a little rain brings waterlogging. I remember seeing knee-deep water on BB Road after just half an hour of rainfall. My home is in Pathantuli, and I travel through Khanpur and Kalirbazar daily to reach my shop in Digubabu’s Bazar. There’s no dry spot to step on during the rain. Kalirbazar turns into a muddy mess.
"They started the roadwork before Ramadan, and we had to endure the entire month. Now the road has become unusable. I have no idea how much longer this will take.”
Farhad, a service holder, said: “Previously, the city corporation used to send a single garbage truck in the morning—and even that would block the whole road. Now the road is filled with giant holes. No one paid attention to it all year, and then suddenly work began during Ramadan.”
“From in front of Friends Market to Gate No 1, hawkers have occupied the footpath with eyewear stalls, fruit carts, and temporary bag shops. Large buses now pass through this route, and with the footpaths blocked, walking along the road has become extremely dangerous,” he added.
Local residents have demanded immediate intervention from city authorities to remove the encroachments, expedite the ongoing public works, and ensure safe and accessible footpaths for all.
