Mustafa Kamal Nannu, Tangail:
Tangail–Delduar–Lauhati–
According to the Tangail Roads and Highways Department, the project was approved by ECNEC on October 5, 2021. The total budget was estimated at Tk 1,435.89 crore, of which Tk 374.29 crore came from government funding, and Tk 278.27 crore from project aid.
Implementation officially began in March 2023, with a completion deadline of June 2024. Under the project, approximately 24.65 kilometers of road were to be upgraded with rigid pavement, along with bridges, culverts, and other supporting infrastructure.
As of now, only around 50% of the work has been completed. Work under Package-1 and Package-2 has remained stagnant for an extended period. The main obstacles identified are complications in land acquisition, contractor negligence, and weak project monitoring.
According to RHD Tangail, the project deadline has now been extended to June 2026.
Field visits reveal that in Tangail, Delduar, Saturia, and nearby rural areas, people are facing daily suffering due to mud, waterlogging, unusable roads, transport issues for agricultural goods, and hardship for school and college students.
A local farmer said, “I can’t load my produce on the truck. The road is stuck in the mud. It’s our loss entirely.”
An official from the Tangail Roads and Highways Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated: “Contractors have been sent multiple warning letters. Their performance is under review. But no decisive action has been taken yet.”
Approximately 300,000 people travel through this highway daily. The road is also essential for agriculture, cottage industries, and commercial transport in Tangail, Manikganj, and connecting areas near Dhaka.
Locals believe that once the project is completed, both travel time and transport costs will be reduced by half, offering significant economic benefit.
Concerned citizens argue that despite such a large budget, if people continue to suffer, it raises questions about the effectiveness of the implementation framework.
They warn that development without accountability may only lead to stagnation and mismanagement, instead of real progress.
