“Driving on this road is a constant risk,” he said. “We are forced to endure this dangerous road due to the lack of alternative routes. Just one kilometer of this road causes great suffering.”

Barek narrated a recent incident where his bus fell into a ditch, causing wheel damage that would cost around Tk 20,000 to repair.

“The lifespan of tires, which used to last 2 years, is now barely 2 months due to difficult road conditions,” he said.

“Avoid this road unless you are desperate,” warned minibus driver Innocent Billah. “Today, I fell into a ditch and damaged the rear of my vehicle. I had to spend Tk 10,000 on repairs due to similar incidents before.”

Noor Hossain, bus assistant of Shariatpur Super Service, noted that there has been a decline in the number of passengers on the route due to poor road conditions.

To solve the waterlogging problem, the municipal corporation dug up a significant portion of the road, making it difficult for vehicles to access nearby petrol pumps.

While two pumps implemented temporary solutions using iron sheets, Al Hussain Petrol Pump remains closed due to ongoing road works.

Abdul Hanif, an employee of Al Hossain Petrol Pump, told TBS: “Our pump was selling 2,500-3,000 liters of oil per day but now we are seeing a complete decline in sales. The municipal corporation abandoned the excavated road for 20 days. Instead of cleaning the water channels with no signs of repair They blocked our access.”

Jatrabari district falls under the jurisdiction of Zone-5 of Dhaka South City Corporation.

Md Bulbul Islam, assistant engineer of Zone-5, told TBS that a delay in the tender process stalled the road repair work for several months.

After the first tender was canceled due to some disagreements with the contractor, a new tender was made. Once the necessary procedures are completed, the work is expected to start within the next month.

The planned road improvement project, estimated to cost around 10 crore taka, will include RCC casting, carpeting and footpath construction.

As a temporary measure, authorities filled large potholes with bricks and cut off sections of the road to facilitate water drainage. However, ongoing problems with the Wasa water line have further complicated road repair work.