Ishwardi residents plant paddy on road to demand repairs

Local residents in Ishwardi, Pabna, staged a unique protest by planting paddy seedlings on a road to demand its immediate repair and development with slogans such as, “If money is needed, take contributions, but repair the road”.

The protest took place on Sunday afternoon (June 21) on the road connecting Babulchara and Kamalpur villages along the border of Sahapur and Lakshmikunda unions in the upazila.

Residents expressed their frustration over the road’s long-standing poor condition and the authorities’ failure to pave it.

According to locals, the road becomes flooded and covered with deep mud during the monsoon season, making movement almost impossible.

As a result, students, farmers, and other residents suffer significant hardship. Hundreds of farmers from Babulchara village use the road daily to transport agricultural products from the char areas to local markets.

However, the deteriorated condition of the road has disrupted the timely transportation and marketing of their produce.

Residents said that promises had been made to pave the road before the national parliamentary election. However, no visible progress has been made since the election.

Despite repeatedly raising the issue with the relevant authorities, no effective action has been taken. In protest against this inaction, the residents planted paddy seedlings on the road.

The demonstrators urged the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to repair and pave the road, making it suitable for public use.