Khulna-Satkhira Highway road turns into death trap

Khulna Correspondent :

The Khulna-Satkhira highway, once a key transport artery and the pride of regional development, has turned into a dangerous stretch now dubbed a “death trap” by commuters and locals. Just four and a half years after a Tk 150-crore reconstruction, the 30-kilometer portion from Khulna’s Zero Point to Chuknagar in Dumuria has deteriorated alarmingly.

Deep potholes, broken pavement, and uneven surfaces dominate the highway, making travel perilous. Drivers and residents blame poor construction materials and the negligence of the contractor for the rapid deterioration. In several areas, pitch has been replaced with bricks-a move many view as a mockery rather than a meaningful repair.

Roads and Highways Department sources state that the entire Khulna-Chuknagar-Satkhira regional highway stretches 64 kilometers, with about 33 kilometers under Khulna district jurisdiction. The road was expanded from 18 to 36 feet and upgraded in 2018, with the addition of culverts, drains, and bus bays. The project, executed by the influential construction firm Mozahar Enterprise, was completed in June 2020. But within just a year, cracks began to appear-both literal and figurative.

Transport worker Md. Altaf Hossain recalled that the renovation process itself was flawed. According to him, there was no proper oversight during construction. “Even after spending so much money, we got no real benefit,” he said.

Md. Russell, a local rent-a-car operator, added that private car owners now avoid the road. “It’s either muddy or dusty. The repair work is superficial-they patch it here and there just to show something is being done, wasting government funds,” he remarked.

Khulna Road Department’s Executive Engineer, Md. Tanimul Haque, acknowledged the road’s poor foundation as a key issue. He stated that a fresh project has already been approved and repair work is expected to begin within a month.

Meanwhile, Mahbubur Rahman Munna, General Secretary of Nirapat Sarak Chai (NISCHA) Khulna Metropolitan, emphasized that the road’s short lifespan raises serious concerns. He pointed out that the damage is partly due to overloaded trucks using the highway. While the maximum permitted weight is 22.5 metric tons, vehicles carrying up to 50 tons are commonly seen.

The current condition poses grave risks of accidents and chronic traffic congestion. Locals have urged the authorities to take immediate and lasting steps to rehabilitate the road and ensure accountability for the failed project.