Potholes and darkness turn Hatirjheel road into an accident trap
The Hatirjheel road connects some of the city’s busiest commercial and residential zones. Thousands of private cars, Pickups, motorcycles use it to avoid the gridlock of adjacent main roads. But now, many drivers and residents say they are avoiding the route altogether
Highlights:
- Motorcyclist injured after pothole accident on Hatirjheel road
- Commuters complain of potholes, broken lights, frequent accidents
- Once iconic Hatirjheel road now hazardous, unsafe for travel
- Monsoon rains hide potholes, increasing nighttime accident risks
- Residents avoid route; vehicles damaged, crashes becoming routine
- Rajuk delays repairs, citing monsoon, budget shortages, tender process
On the evening of 16 September, Mujahidul Islam, an official of a private organisation, was returning to Moghbazar from Gulshan on a motorcycle via Hatirjheel circular road. After he had crossed Madhubagh, he met with an accident when the motorcycle's wheel fell into a pothole. He suffered serious injuries to his legs and hands.
Mujahidul told The Business Standard, "It was raining, I thought the Hatirjheel road would be safe, but there were so many potholes on the entire road that I could not escape even if I drove carefully. The street lights on the road were also off in most places. The doctor told me it would take another two weeks for me to recover fully."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Most of the commuters who use the Hatirjheel circular road are complaining about the poor condition of this road.
The 8-kilometre Hatirjheel circular road, once celebrated as a symbol of modern Dhaka, has now become a nightmare for motorists and commuters.
During a recent visit, more than a hundred potholes and broken streetlights were found along the stretch from Police Plaza through Rampura, Madhubagh, FDC, Tejgaon, and back to Police Plaza.
The responsibility for maintaining the road lies with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). When approached, officials acknowledged the poor state of the road but cited the monsoon season as the main reason for delays
What was designed as a showcase of scenic infrastructure and smooth commuting has instead turned into a corridor of hazards, with regular accidents and severe inconvenience for thousands of daily users.
In the monsoon rains, these potholes fill with water and become invisible traps. At night, when traffic remains steady but the visibility drops, the risk multiplies because many of the streetlights are non-functional.
"During the day, you can at least see the holes and try to avoid them. At night, it's pitch dark in some stretches; the water hides the potholes, and suddenly the car drops or skids," said a car driver, Jubayer Hossen, who uses the road daily.
Commuters forced to take risks
The Hatirjheel road connects some of the city's busiest commercial and residential zones. Thousands of private cars, Pickups, motorcycles use it to avoid the gridlock of adjacent main roads. But now, many drivers and residents say they are avoiding the route altogether.
Fazlul Haque, who drives a microbus for an office near Tejgaon, told TBS, "I have to take this road twice a day. We know where some of the holes are, but after heavy rain new ones appear. My vehicle's suspension is ruined. This is not what Hatirjheel was meant to be."
According to several residents along the route, minor crashes and breakdowns have become common. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable.
"Last week a bike went into a pothole at night near Madhubagh and skidded. The rider broke his leg," said a street vendor in the area.
Rajuk's wait-and-see approach
The responsibility for maintaining the road lies with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). When approached, officials acknowledged the poor state of the road but cited the monsoon season as the main reason for delays.
"During monsoon, it is normal for the bitumen to come off and potholes to form. We will repair the road after the rainy season ends," said Md Nurul Islam, chief engineer (Implementation) of Rajuk.
He added that a tender process is already underway for the road's full renovation. "We hope to start the repair work after the monsoon. It's not possible to do much during heavy rains."
However, a Rajuk engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that only makeshift repairs have been done so far. "We have put bricks and debris in some holes out of personal initiative. We haven't received any dedicated repair budget for months. We've requested funds but haven't got any. Without a budget, we can only do patchwork."
This contradiction between Rajuk's public assurances and the reality on the ground has fueled public frustration.
"We hear about tenders and plans, but the road keeps getting worse. By the time they start repairs, more people could be injured or killed," said commuter Shumi Akhter, who drives her children to school along the route.
The Hatirjheel project was inaugurated in 2013 as an urban regeneration effort combining water retention, recreation, and improved traffic flow. The circular road quickly became a popular route for both commuters and joggers. But years of heavy use and poor maintenance have eroded its reputation.
