Potholes plague Hatirjheel roads, raising accident risk amid monsoon
Many of the potholes remain submerged under monsoon rainwater after it rains, making it impossible for drivers to judge their depth and significantly increasing the risk of accidents
Highlights
- Potholes endanger commuters, motorists during monsoon rains
- Hidden craters trigger sudden braking, accident risks
- Poor roads worsen traffic, delay commuters
- Rajuk accused of delayed, ineffective road repairs
- Damaged walkways threaten pedestrians and families
- Negligence blamed for recurring hazards, traffic congestion
Large stretches of road along Hatirjheel, one of Dhaka's busiest and most scenic thoroughfares, have become riddled with potholes, posing a growing safety risk to motorcyclists and other motorists.
Many of the potholes remain submerged under monsoon rainwater after it rains, making it impossible for drivers to judge their depth and significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
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During a recent visit to the area, large potholes were seen at Kunipara in Tejgaon, Police Plaza and Rampura. In many places, the asphalt and stone chips had peeled away, exposing the underlying brickwork, while rainwater concealed the damage, making the road appear intact from a distance.
Drivers were frequently forced to brake suddenly or swerve at the last moment to avoid the craters, creating hazardous driving conditions.
Hatirjheel's nearly 16km one-way roads connect key parts of the capital, including Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Gulshan, Badda, and Rampura.
The Hatirjheel project, inaugurated in January 2013, was built and operated under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army. Responsibility for its maintenance was transferred to the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in June 2021. Since then, residents have increasingly complained about poor upkeep of the roads and other infrastructure.
Commuters, residents decry recurring damage
At the FDC intersection, Hatirjheel circular bus driver Anwar Hossain said completing one full loop of the route normally takes about 30 minutes.
"But because of the potholes at Kunipara, it often takes 15 to 20 minutes just to cross that stretch," he said.
Local resident Shahin Alam said potholes reappear at the same location every monsoon.
"Rajuk repairs them after media reports are published, but the road soon deteriorates again. As a result, traffic congestion is worsening every day," he said.
At the Police Plaza bus stop, South Badda resident and regular Hatirjheel circular bus passenger Faridul Islam said the roads were once among the city's best.
"Now, like many other parts of Dhaka, they are falling apart, but repairs are not being carried out on time," he said.
The deterioration extends beyond the roads. Walkways across Hatirjheel are also in poor condition, with paving blocks dislodged or sunken in many places, leaving hazardous holes. During the monsoon, these remain submerged, forcing pedestrians to walk at risk.
Locals alleged that despite the walkways remaining in a dilapidated state for a long time, no effective initiative has been taken for their regular repair and maintenance.
Kunipara resident Robiul said whenever we go for a walk with our family, we are constantly worried about accidents. A place as important as Hatirjheel should not be in such a condition.
Planner blames Rajuk; agency cites ongoing repairs
Urban planner Adil Muhammad Khan told TBS that Rajuk's mandate is to regulate urban development, not maintain roads and other infrastructure.
"Since the Hatirjheel project has already been completed, it should be handed over to the city corporation without further delay, as required by the rules," he said.
He alleged that Rajuk's failure to carry out regular maintenance has contributed to repeated accidents at Hatirjheel.
For a lasting solution, responsibility for maintaining the roads should be transferred from Rajuk to the city corporation, he added.
Responding to the allegations, Rajuk Executive Engineer (Civil) Tasmin Huda told TBS that renovation of about 9km of Hatirjheel's roughly 11.5km road network has already been completed.
"Due to continuous rainfall, potholes have developed at several locations. Until the full rehabilitation is completed, we are carrying out temporary repairs. We expect to complete the entire project within about a month," she said.
