Neglected and Forgotten: Road woes plague five villages in Cumilla's Chandina

For the residents of five villages in Chandina upazila, a 1.5-kilometre stretch of road has become a symbol of neglect and frustration.

Unrepaired for years, the deteriorating route has left around 15,000 people, particularly students, battling hazardous conditions, with no relief in sight.

Connecting Maizkhar, Purbo Ambarpur, Chilora, Alikamora and Awoazband villages, the road serves as a lifeline for daily commuters, schoolchildren, and traders.

Its appalling condition has turned routine travel into a daily ordeal.

During winter, dust clouds engulf the area, making visibility and breathing difficult.

In the monsoon, the road transforms into a treacherous, muddy trap, increasing the risk of accidents.

A closer look reveals the extent of the damage.

The one-kilometre segment from Purbo Maizkhar Women’s Dakhil Madrasa to Alikamora is riddled with potholes, while another half-kilometre stretch near Bashar Huzur’s house in Chilora has partially collapsed due to encroaching water bodies.

Parts of the road, once lined with brick soling, have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance, leaving gaping holes and loose debris.

For schoolchildren, the road is nothing short of a hazard. Many struggle to reach their institutions on time, their uniforms dust-streaked in the dry months and muddied in the rainy season.

Patients in need of urgent medical care also suffer, as ambulances and vehicles often avoid the route altogether.

Standing near the Alikamora Community Clinic, businessman Saiful Islam voiced the collective frustration of local traders.

“Transporting goods along this road has become a nightmare. The potholes and collapsed sections make it nearly impossible. We have pleaded with the authorities time and again, but nothing changes,” he said.

Jalal Uddin, another trader, recalled a devastating incident. “A few months ago, my vehicle, laden with goods, veered off the road and plunged into the water in Chilora. The losses were enormous. If this road is repaired, it will ease business operations for everyone."

Farmers, too, are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Md Sharif, a vegetable farmer, lamented the challenges of transporting produce. “This region is known for winter vegetables, but the road has made our work much harder. We are forced to take longer, costlier routes, which cuts into our profits."

The repeated appeals from locals have not gone entirely unheard.

Chandina Upazila Executive Engineer Mohammad Rakibul Islam confirmed that the road was incorporated into the Rural Road Rehabilitation Project in 2023. But a bureaucratic hurdle has stalled progress.

“We have floated tenders five times, but no eligible contractor has come forward. The sixth tender process is currently underway,” he said.

For the villagers, this explanation offers little consolation. As the monsoon season looms, fears grow that the road will become completely impassable, further isolating the community.

A Cry for Action

While development projects are often promised, their implementation remains a challenge.

For the residents of Maizkhar, Purbo Ambarpur, Chilora, Alikamora, and Awoazband, the demand is simple: immediate action.

Until then, they remain trapped in a cycle of hardship, their road to progress quite literally crumbling beneath their feet.