UNB, Moulvibazar
Vehicular movement has been prevented on two regional highways in Kulaura upazila for a week, as the Manu River broke through the protection embankment in Hajipur union, causing immense suffering to hundreds of people.
Locals said, the river started to swell around the beginning of last month due to heavy downpours and water gushing from upstream.
The protection embankment along the river in Kaukapon Bazar area of Hajipur Union suffered heavy damage in three stages, and a great part of it went under water.
Consequently several spots of the adjacent Hajipur-Hashimpur and Kotarkona-Tarapasha regional highways were eroded, precluding movement of all kinds of vehicles.
Abdul Bachhid Bacchu, the chairman of Hajipur Union Parishad, said people from 10 villages, who used to commute using the roads in question, are now stranded as there is no alternative road for them to use till the road gets repaired.
The closure of the roads has restricted access to markets and put pressure on local supplies of goods, causing a price hike in the local markets.
The chairman demanded speedy steps from the authorities concerned and construction of an alternate road to mitigate people’s suffering.
However, Kazi Abdus Samad, executive engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department, said the work to repair these roads would start as soon as they receive allocation.
Vehicular movement has been prevented on two regional highways in Kulaura upazila for a week, as the Manu River broke through the protection embankment in Hajipur union, causing immense suffering to hundreds of people.
Locals said, the river started to swell around the beginning of last month due to heavy downpours and water gushing from upstream.
The protection embankment along the river in Kaukapon Bazar area of Hajipur Union suffered heavy damage in three stages, and a great part of it went under water.
Consequently several spots of the adjacent Hajipur-Hashimpur and Kotarkona-Tarapasha regional highways were eroded, precluding movement of all kinds of vehicles.
Abdul Bachhid Bacchu, the chairman of Hajipur Union Parishad, said people from 10 villages, who used to commute using the roads in question, are now stranded as there is no alternative road for them to use till the road gets repaired.
The closure of the roads has restricted access to markets and put pressure on local supplies of goods, causing a price hike in the local markets.
The chairman demanded speedy steps from the authorities concerned and construction of an alternate road to mitigate people’s suffering.
However, Kazi Abdus Samad, executive engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department, said the work to repair these roads would start as soon as they receive allocation.
