Jhalokathi, August 3 (V7N) – Villagers in the northern Tarabunia area of Saturia Union in Rajapur upazila, Jhalokathi, held a unique protest on Saturday morning, demanding immediate government action to pave a 4-kilometer mud road that has remained unpaved for over five decades.
 
The demonstration began at 11:00 AM and featured a human chain and symbolic protest in which local residents and students planted taro (kochu) plants along the muddy stretch. Protesters say the move was intended to dramatize the impassable condition of the road, especially during the monsoon season.
 
Participants included residents of Wards 4 and 5 of Saturia Union, students and teachers from various educational institutions, and local social workers. Speakers at the event included elderly resident Abdul Latif Molla, Bashar, Abul Bashar, Iyasin, Sidiqia Dakhil Madrasa teacher Maulana Anwar Hossain, teacher Nazmin Begum, and students Labid and Mahim from Lebubunia Government Primary School.
 
Protesters said the earthen road — stretching from Mollabari to Jorapol and ending at Goalbari — was originally constructed shortly after Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. Despite repeated promises, the road remains unpaved after 54 years, causing immense hardship for thousands of residents.
 
“During the rainy season, the road becomes nearly impassable due to heavy mud. Schoolchildren struggle to attend classes, farmers can't get their produce to market, and medical emergencies often become life-threatening due to delays,” one protester said.
 
Residents demanded the immediate widening and paving of the road, which they say is essential for transportation, education, healthcare access, and the local economy.
 
They called on the authorities to take urgent action and warned that continued negligence would force them to escalate their protest.
 
END/AIJ/SMA/