Protest with Rice Saplings on Dilapidated Road in Khulna

In Khulna’s Rupsha–Shipyard area, members of “Nirapad Sarak Chai” (We Demand Safe Roads) staged a symbolic protest by planting rice seedlings on a severely damaged road. Alongside this, the group displayed a red card to the Khulna Development Authority (KDA), accusing them of negligence and irresponsibility.

The demonstration took place on Tuesday (2 September) near the western side of Khan Jahan Ali (Rupsha) Bridge. Representatives from different civic groups joined the program.

Speakers alleged that due to KDA’s oversight, the contractor withdrew Tk 70 crore without completing the road project. They said both KDA and the construction company, Mahbub Brothers, must be held accountable for the failure. Protesters warned that if immediate repairs do not begin, they would lay siege to the contractor’s office and the KDA headquarters.

The gathering was presided over by Sheikh Md. Nasir Uddin, president of the organization. Among those addressing the event were Advocate Babul Howlader from Khulna Citizens’ Forum, Mizanur Rahman Babu of the Greater Khulna Development Coordination Committee, Abu Taher of “Amra Boro Khulnabasi,” along with journalists, businessmen, and community leaders.

For years, the four-kilometer stretch from Rupsha Traffic Intersection to Khan Jahan Ali Bridge has been a death trap for commuters. Large potholes, uneven surfaces, and stagnant water have made travel extremely risky. Locals say the road, left unrepaired for over a decade, has now turned into a symbol of mismanagement and corruption.

KDA has since terminated its contract with Mahbub Brothers, but the work already done is of poor quality. With both sides of the road dug up and left abandoned, public suffering has reached unbearable levels.