In Dhaka’s 100 Feet area, Rasel Khan has been running a grocery shop for the past eight years, but for the last year and a half, he’s seen nothing but losses. The reason, he says, is the deplorable condition of the road. Due to deep potholes and frequent waterlogging, customer footfall has dropped significantly. Repeated complaints to the city authorities have gone unanswered. Despite local shopkeepers staging protests and submitting grievances to the City Corporation, the situation remains unchanged. Many shop owners have been forced to sell their businesses and relocate.

Regular commuters, too, are fed up with the broken roads. Potholes frequently trap rickshaws and vans, causing daily traffic snarls and occasional accidents. This issue is not isolated. Several major roads across the capital, including Gulshan’s Lake Road, have fallen into disrepair. Locals report that some of these roads have not seen maintenance work in over a decade.

Even after multiple public complaints, most streets in Dhaka continue to be neglected, leading to mounting frustration and recurring mishaps. When questioned about the prolonged neglect, Dhaka North City Corporation shifted the blame. Chief Engineer Brigadier General Md. Moin Khan stated that the condition of the 100 Feet road is the result of a slow-moving WASA water supply project. In the case of Lake Road, responsibility falls on RAJUK.

Despite a Tk 4,000 crore masterplan aimed at improving roads in newly incorporated city wards, tangible progress remains minimal. For now, residents continue to suffer from the consequences of bureaucratic delays and lack of coordination among city authorities.