No road to reach pier in Kuakata
Gofran Palash, Kalapara (Patuakhali)
There is a ferry pier, there are boats, but there is no way to reach the pier. During high tide, the path is submerged in water, and during low tide, there is knee-deep mud. Hundreds of people from several villages are forced to wade through that mud to reach the pier.
Sometimes they have to walk over other people's houses to reach the pier. This is how people using the ferry pier in the middle of Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali have been suffering for about seven months of the year.
Locals said that the same situation has been going on for a long time, but there has been no permanent solution. This ghat is an important communication route for the people of Mithaganj village and several surrounding villages in Mithaganj Union. People of different professions, including teachers and students, patients, children, elderly people and farmers, travel on this route every day. But due to the lack of a connection route, their suffering increases during the rainy season and during high tide. When the tide rises, the connection route of the ghat is submerged in water.
As a result, there is no opportunity to walk on foot. When the water recedes, another irony arises. A situation where feet get stuck in the mud. Due to this, many are forced to take alternative routes or walk over other people's houses to reach the ghat. A picture of the ghat in the Attiakhali Union part. On the other hand, although the Mithaganj Union part is comparatively better, traveling there becomes risky during the rains. Especially during low tide, it becomes difficult for passengers to get into the mud and get into the water.
Abdur Rahman Sikder, a shopkeeper in the Kheaghat area of Tiakhali Union, said, "People cannot travel on this road during high tide. I have been seeing this condition of the road since my childhood. However, teachers and students also use this road. Raising the road will solve the problem."
Imam and Khatib of Mithaganj Boro Jame Mosque, Maulana Md. Nesar Uddin said, "During high tide, one has to lift one's clothes a lot to cross the river. This is embarrassing for women. Again, during low tide, one has to cross knee-deep mud to reach the ghat."
Ferry passenger Md. Hanif Sikder said, there are problems on both banks. However, the condition on the north bank is worse. If the road from the embankment to the ferry pier is elevated, the long-standing problem will be solved.
Md. Jahangir Alam, a ferryman at the ferry, said, "During high tide, the path to the ferry is filled with water, and during low tide, there is knee-deep mud. People cannot move properly. Many times, they have to sit all day because there are no passengers."
Deepa Sikder, an assistant teacher at Mithaganj Government Primary School, said, "I have been working here for three years. It has become difficult to come to school every day from Kalapara town. Teachers, students, especially children, the elderly and patients are suffering a lot."
The school's headmaster, Md. Asaduzzaman, said, "The teachers of our school come from Kalapara town. Apart from this, there are two madrasas and a high school in the area. Many teachers of these institutions also have to use this road. A permanent solution to the problem is not possible without raising the connecting road. We have applied to the Kalapara Upazila Executive Officer to resolve the issue."
Kalapara LGED Engineer Md. Moniruzzaman said, "When the water level rises in this kheyaghat, it sinks, and when it ebbs, it fills with mud. In fact, the connection road needs to be raised with soil. I will raise this in the next monthly meeting of the Upazila Parishad for funding."
