Rural Roads: Not just transport, but transformation!
Bangladesh’s rural road initiative shows how infrastructure can become a source of food, income, and empowerment when villagers co-own roads
In ancient times, villages were largely self-sufficient, with agriculture, livestock, handicrafts, and local trade fulfilling most needs. Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Gram Swaraj (village self-rule) in the 1920s–30s, and Mao Zedong's rural initiatives in China, embraced self-reliance in villages.
After Bangladesh's independence, cooperative-based self-reliant villages were envisioned as a foundation for national development.
Later, NGOs such as BRAC, Grameen Bank, and other community initiatives incorporated elements of this model into rural development programmes.
Research continues on reforming and transforming self-reliant development in villages, with a focus not just on infrastructure but on community ownership, women's empowerment, and participatory engagement.
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Traditionally, when we think of a village road, we imagine an earthen path or a strip of asphalt connecting places.
However, during my recent visit to Pathardubi village in Bhurungamari upazila, Kurigram district, I realised that a road can be far more than transport—it can be a catalyst for social change, a canvas of community ownership, a platform for women's empowerment, and a living symbol of collective engagement.
To treat roads merely as transport is to miss half the story. When roads are shared, nurtured, and co-owned, they become catalysts for broader change.
It grows food and upholds dignity
In Pathardubi, roadside embankments are alive with spinach, gourds, papaya, beans, and trees—planted and nurtured by landowners or their representatives, alongside women workers from the Labour Contracting Society (LCS). These roads do more than connect destinations; they feed families, generate income, and symbolise sustainability.
One woman tending the vegetables told me: "This road is ours. We planted it, we care for it, and we earn from it. It gives us more than transport—it gives us respect."
What began as a government pilot project—Amar Gram-Amar Shahar (My Village-My Town)—has grown beyond its original design. The project now covers 15 villages around the country, aiming to expand civic amenities and foster community ownership of public assets.
Under this LGED initiative, landowners of roadside plots work together with project-assigned women. While landowners cultivate vegetables and plants on their plots, LCS women transport water by rickshaw-van and help with irrigation. These women earn Tk300 per day, with Tk100 saved compulsorily. By the end of their tenure, each will have accumulated around Tk108,000—a powerful and dignified sum that provides long-term security.
Roads that empower women
The road has become both a workplace and a pathway to empowerment. By participating in roadside plantations, markets, and local committees, women are no longer hidden—they are now visible, respected, and influential.
One tree caretaker explained: "This road took me out of the home and into the community. Now people ask for my opinion. I never thought that would happen."
Empowerment here is not only economic—it is social. Women are speaking in their communities, making household decisions, and redefining their roles in society.
A symbol of community life
The roads connect villages to markets and towns—but in this village, they connect something deeper. Farmers sell produce faster and at fairer prices. Families eat vegetables grown along the roadside. Embankments reduce accidents, while trees and crops enhance greenery and climate resilience. Women gain respect through visible contributions.
A farmer who gave up three feet of land for the road said: "We no longer see development as something given to us. We see it as something we build together."
Another villager summed it up: "This road is not only for travel—it is our road, built with our hands, growing with our care, carrying our hopes forward."
Dialogues, not dictates
Unlike top-down government projects, this initiative is dialogic. Farmers, teachers, women workers, and youth all said they were invited to share their opinions before activities began. This participatory approach fosters ownership, responsibility, and pride.
"We do not feel like beneficiaries. We feel like partners," said one farmer who contributed land.
Tourism potential
Pathardubi also holds rich potential for rural tourism. The lush roadside plantations, green embankments, and small water bodies create a picturesque landscape. Visitors can experience authentic village life, watch women at work, and learn about sustainable agriculture.
If local festivals, folk music, and cultural centres are introduced under the project, they will further enrich the village experience, while traditional crafts and produce could offer unique souvenirs.
Innovative solution for rural road expansion and sustainability
As a development researcher, I was struck by the transformation of this road. I contacted the Upazila Engineer of Bhurungamari, LGED, to learn more about the background. He explained the local context, while the Project Director later elaborated on the national implications.
Historically, rural roads were developed on land voluntarily donated by villagers. These were narrow, requiring only small strips of land. But with rapid economic growth, rural roads now need to be wider, paved, and more resilient to heavy traffic.
This has created a dilemma: as landholdings shrink, the need for road space expands. Bangladesh has more than 300,000 kilometres of rural roads. If land had to be formally acquired for expansion, the national budget could not possibly sustain it.
To address this, an innovative approach was devised: villagers contribute land for road widening, shoulders, and slopes—even earth from adjacent plots. In return, they are given ownership of the project's outcomes. They widen embankments to specified standards and receive incentives, along with seedlings for fruit, timber, and medicinal trees, as well as vegetables. In 10–20 years, they will also share the benefits of roadside trees.
This innovative model transforms a public asset into a source of private benefit, aligning community interests with the long-term sustainability of rural roads. If replicated nationwide, it could lower maintenance costs, improve rural transport, increase farmers' incomes, and help communities adapt to climate change.
Engagement and transformation
True development is not just about concrete or markets—it is about empowerment and engagement that give life to these roads. If expanded nationwide, this model could reduce rural poverty, curb urban migration, empower women, and strengthen communities.
Challenges remain. Some components, such as housing projects, spark debate—so, should multi-storey buildings replace open courtyards in villages where traditional community life thrives? Any future development must respect the environment, culture, traditions, and social fabric of rural Bangladesh.
As I left Pathardubi, I watched women tending roadside vegetable plots under the fading sun. Their hands were rough, their clothes simple, but their dignity was unmistakable. This initiative demonstrates that a road is not just a means of transport—it is a symbol of ownership, empowerment, and collective hope.
Mahmudul Haque is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur. He can be reached at: mahmud_raj@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
