DILAPIDATED roads and water stagnation are recurring woes for residents of Dhaka during the monsoon. A photograph published in 抖阴精品 on July 19 showed covered vans and rickshaws paddling through dilapidated and muddy roads in the North Jurain area. In the past few days, similar situations of water stagnation were reported from other parts of Dhaka, including Purana Paltan, New Market, Mohammadpur, Mirpur and Badda. Locals often allege that Dhaka WASA digs up the roads, and then leaves them untouched for months without completing the repairs. The unplanned construction work and tendency to initiate road repair projects during the monsoon further contribute to public suffering. Earlier in May, after a day of heavy rain, city traffic on the roads from Bijoy Sarani intersection to the Army Aviation Group towards the office of the chief adviser was disrupted due to waterlogging. The city authorities occasionally set up an emergency control room to take quick and effective steps to resolve waterlogging, but a long-term, sustainable solution does not seem to be in the cards. Many projects were taken during deposed Awami League rule with no immediate results, and it is unclear what particular initiatives the local government ministry and city authorities have taken to improve the situation.
When the road condition and traffic situation remain a nightmare in the capital, it is not surprising that situations in other cities are even worse. Earlier this month, the port city remained inundated for several days, and a three-year-old child fell into an unmarked drain and died near the Halishahar area. Around a 27-kilometre stretch of the Dhaka-Barishal Highway, from Munshibazar in Faridpur to the Bhanga Interchange in Faridpur, lies in a dilapidated condition, causing suffering to thousands of passengers between Dhaka and 21 southern districts. Dilapidated road conditions cause damage, and the breaking down of numerous vehicles on regional highways is also common. Successive governments have been more interested in road construction than in ensuring their maintenance. Corruption in road construction and management, as in the use of substandard materials, has been widely reported. In 2021, the Chattogram City Corporation spent about Tk 25 billion for roads that were in good condition. An ineffective sewerage system, an uncoordinated and ineffective waste management system and the encroachment of canals also contribute to water stagnation, leading to a shorter shelf life of roads in Bangladesh.
The government should, under the circumstances, consider providing equal attention to road maintenance and management. In doing so, it should address the issues of corruption and coordination between different government agencies. The government needs to restore rainwater drainage systems to prevent water stagnation leading to road damage.