Khorshed Alam, Sherpur

Thousands of residents and commuters in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur are enduring severe hardships due to the failure to widen a critical one-kilometer stretch of a Roads and Highways Department (RHD) road. Despite local demands persisting since independence, the expansion work remains unimplemented.

According to local sources, the RHD constructed a 22-kilometer single-lane road from Sherpur district headquarters to Rangtia via the Jhenaigati upazila headquarters market during the Pakistan era. However, the one-kilometer section spanning from in front of the Jhenaigati Upazila Health Complex to the upazila parishad remains a single lane, even though ample RHD land lies vacant on both sides.

Residents report that the low-lying shoulders on either side of the road frequently accumulate garbage. Because the route is a vital thoroughfare, it accommodates a heavy daily volume of long-distance buses, trucks, covered vans, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, easy-bikes, rickshaws, vans, trolleys, and mahindras. The narrow configuration triggers persistent traffic congestion throughout the day, causing immense suffering for pedestrians, passengers, business owners, and locals.

The congestion is compounded by tourists visiting Gazni Abakash, a major local resort destination. A large number of tourist vehicles utilize the same route, intensifying gridlocks and exacerbating commuter distress.

Locals point out that despite persistent appeals over the past 55 years, and repeated assurances from public representatives and administrative officials, tangible progress has yet to materialize.

Alhaj Md. Mokhlesur Rahman Khan, president of the Jhenaigati Bazar Traders Association, said, "Residents and business owners have been demanding the expansion of this road for a long time. We have received various assurances over the years, but no work has started yet. Widening the road promptly will significantly reduce traffic congestion and public suffering."

Prominent local figures—including former Jhenaigati Upazila Parishad chairman and district BNP former joint convener Aminul Islam Badsha, and Adarsha Co-operative Credit Union Kalb Chairman Md. Saleh Ahmed—have also joined local residents in urging immediate action to expand the road.

Contacted over the issue, Md. Shakirul Islam, Executive Engineer of the Sherpur Roads and Highways Department, stated, "A project is being formulated to widen the one-kilometer road section. The proposal will be submitted to the relevant authorities, and effective steps will be taken once we receive a response."