The deplorable conditions of roads and highways across the country will continue even after the Eid-ul-Fitr, as the repair work of most of the roads can not be completed before the festival.
The Dhaka-Chittagong Highway is one of the highways, where the conditions of the roads is very deplorable. Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that at least five to six months would be needed to complete the repair work on the highway.
Earlier, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications Ministry on Thursday suggested urgent steps for repair of the roads and highways for the safe journey of the homebound people during the upcoming Eid.
Earlier, on Thursday, transport owners threatened to go on strike if the repair work of Dhaka-Chittagong Highway is not completed soon.
Obaidul Quader said that the deplorable condition in several parts of the highway was causing problem for the commuters. Referring to the widening of the highway, he said that it would be a very difficult task as there are many mosques, temples, graveyards and educational institutions along the road.
The minister, however, said that the public sufferings on different roads, particularly on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Joydevpur-Mymensingh highways, would be reduced during Eid this year compared to last year, as the government has taken initiative in this regard.
On Friday, the government banned movement of heavy cargo- except garments, fuel and perishables — on roads three days prior to Eid and two days after the Eid.
The dilapidated Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Khulna, Dhaka-Barisal, Dhaka-Mymensingh and other highways as well as the district roads have been causing untold sufferings to travelers and drivers. Passengers complained about the discomfort they suffered with the advent of the monsoon worsening the road conditions.
They said that they saw no initiative to repair the dilapidated highways linking Dhaka with Chittagong, Dhaka with Khulna, Joydevpur with Mymensingh, Dhaka with Sylhet, Dhaka with Tangail and Dhaka with Aricha.
