25 years on, unrepaired road still isolates 25 villages in Rangpur

Residents of around 25 villages in four unions of Mithapukur and Pirgacha upazilas in Rangpur have remained cut off from direct road communication for nearly 25 years due to the failure to reconstruct a flood-damaged road in the Kagojipara-Fakirtari area of Bhangni union.

Locals said a 250-metre section of the six-kilometre local government road connecting Thakurbari in Mithapukur to Deutigami in Pirgachha was washed away by the River Ghaghat around 26 years ago. Since then, residents have been suffering severe transportation problems, affecting education, healthcare, agriculture and business activities.

The affected villages include Kagojipara, Fakirtari, Thakurbari, Dakshintari, Chanpur, Matherhat, Dewati and Saidpur under Bhangni, Pairaband, Balarhat and Parul unions. Residents alleged that repeated appeals to authorities over the years have brought no permanent solution.

Due to the missing road link, people from several villages in Mithapukur have to travel more than 20 kilometres to reach Rangpur city or Pirgachha upazila headquarters, while residents of Parul union often travel over 30 kilometres to access Mithapukur.

Farmers said transportation costs have increased sharply, preventing them from getting fair prices for crops such as rice, potatoes, bananas and vegetables. Many are forced to sell produce in the fields at low prices because vehicles cannot enter the area.

Local farmer Lutfar Rahman said bananas worth Tk30,000 are often sold for Tk20,000 due to poor transportation facilities. Businessman Mujibur Rahman said traders avoid the area because moving goods is costly and time-consuming.

Students are also facing major difficulties. Sohel Islam, a seventh-grade student of Dewati High School, said he has to cycle 10 to 12 kilometres through alternative routes every day due to the broken road, spending around 30 minutes extra on the journey.

Residents said patients suffer the most during emergencies as ambulances and other vehicles cannot access the area easily. During the monsoon, many people depend on boats for movement.

Several educational institutions, including Kagojipara Ashrafia Dakhil Madrasah, Thakurbari Girls’ High School, Hulashuganj Bi-Mukhi High School, Dewati High School and Dewati College, are located near the affected route.

Local chairman Abdullah Al Mamun Wahedi said he has submitted applications to different authorities, including LGED, the deputy commissioner’s office, UNO and PIO office, but no effective initiative has yet been taken.

Mithapukur Upazila Project Implementation Officer Md Moniruzzaman said officials inspected the site and informed the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief about the issue.

Rangpur-5 MP Golam Rabbani said he had visited the area and issued a DO letter to the relevant authorities for reconstruction of the road. He expressed hope that the long-standing problem would be resolved soon.