Paindong Neglected for 20 Years as Residents Suffer from Dilapidated Roads

Poor road conditions and unpaved routes cause severe hardship in Fatikchhari

Residents of Paindong Union in Fatikchhari Upazila, Chattogram, have been facing severe hardship due to years of neglect and a lack of road maintenance. In some areas, brick pavements have broken apart, leaving large potholes, while other roads have remained unpaved since Bangladesh’s independence. The deteriorating condition of key connecting roads has fuelled growing frustration among locals.

The situation is particularly dire in Ward No. 3 of the union. Local Union Parishad member Tajul Islam alleged that no development project funds had been allocated to his ward over the past two years. Despite contacting and lobbying various government offices, he said, no steps had been taken to repair the roads.

Roads in particularly poor condition

The road leading to the house of Juhur Member in Khejur Tala, north of NK Bricks, was paved with bricks around 15 years ago but has not been repaired since. Around 300 feet of the road remains unpaved. Another 200-foot section near the exit from the brickfield has been severely damaged. Residents say the road has been neglected for nearly two decades.

The road leading to freedom fighter Babul Bhowmik’s house lies about one kilometre north of the Union Parishad office and stretches for 1,300 feet. It has remained unpaved since independence. A culvert was built there in the 2015–16 fiscal year, but residents cannot fully benefit from it because the connecting roads on both sides remain unpaved.

The Hazarat Abdul Malek Shah connecting road links the Heyaakon Road from the western side of the Union Parishad office. The brick paving along this approximately 1.5-kilometre road has deteriorated badly. School and college students, as well as market shoppers and traders, face risks while using the route every day.

The approximately 1,200-foot road from the house of Bazlur Rahman in Uttar Haidchakia to Chan Ghazi Mosque has also remained unpaved since independence.

Meanwhile, the road from the Pelagazi Dighi–Heyaakon Road junction to the house of Karan Sikder via Sebakhola has gone without repairs for around 20 years. The damaged brick surface has made the road difficult to use.

Other problematic routes include the approximately 400-metre unpaved road from Juhur Member’s house to Ali Ahmed’s house, as well as the roads leading to the houses of Navy Fazlul Karim and Chowkidar Shafi in Uttar Haidchakia. Potholes and uneven surfaces have made travel increasingly difficult.

Union Parishad member says no funds allocated in two years

Expressing frustration, Ward No. 3 member Tajul Islam said almost every road in his ward was in poor condition. He described the road leading to Navy Fazlul Karim’s house as severely neglected and said potholes on the road to Chowkidar Shafi’s house were causing considerable hardship. He added that he had received no development allocation over the past two years.

Fatikchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saeed Mohammad Ibrahim said development work should be carried out equitably across all wards. He said efforts were made to ensure balanced allocations when funds were distributed among unions and that union chairmen were also expected to coordinate the process.

“No ward should be left behind. If this has happened, it is certainly not right,” he said.

Residents of Paindong Union have urged the relevant authorities to inspect the roads in person and allocate funds for repairs as a priority. They hope timely action will end the long-standing hardship caused by the poor road conditions.