Dangerous roadside trees threaten Kulaura highways

Thousands of trees of various species stand on both sides of Roads and Highways Department roads in Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar. An 11kV power line also runs alongside these trees. On the paved road from Brahmanbazar to Kulaura School Chowmuhani, many trees have matured, and their branches have dried up.

In this condition, several trees are leaning dangerously, creating a risk of accidents at any time due to falling trees. As a result, pedestrians and vehicles are forced to travel at great risk during storms and even light winds. The road has increasingly become “extremely dangerous,” causing fear among commuters.

In recent storms, more than fifty trees fell on roads including the Moulvibazar-Kulaura road, Brahmanbazar-Fenchuganj road, Brahmanbazar-Shamsernagar road, Kulaura-Robirbazar road, and Kulaura-Kaliti road, blocking traffic for long periods. Several trees also fell on power lines, disrupting electricity supply.

Fire service personnel later cleared the fallen trees to restore traffic movement. Locals have urged the Roads and Highways Department, Upazila administration, and Forest Department to take urgent steps to ensure road safety and prevent accidents.

On-site observations show that thousands of trees were planted under a forestation programme by the Forest Department along roads including the Moulvibazar-Kulaura road. An 11kV PDB power line also runs adjacent to these trees.

Many trees have become risky over time, and thousands of vehicles travel this route daily, carrying passengers to offices, courts, businesses, educational institutions, and hospitals across upazila, district, and divisional areas.

Long-distance buses from Dhaka also regularly operate on routes connecting Kulaura, Juri, Barlekha, and Beanibazar, while local buses and minibuses travel between upazila towns, Moulvibazar, and Sylhet. The continued presence of dead and risky trees has heightened public fear of accidents.