Selective road beautification in Chittagong sparks criticism following Prime Minister visit
Photo Collected
CHITTAGONG – Authorities have launched an effort to paint the remaining side of a road divider along the 12-kilometer stretch from Oxygen Mor to Hathazari Bus Stand, following a viral social media backlash over the selective maintenance of the route during a visit by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman.
Footage circulating online on Sunday highlighted a stark contrast along the highway: while the side of the road used by the Prime Minister’s motorcade for his travel from Hathazari to a meeting at the Radisson Blu Bay View hotel was freshly painted and cleaned, the opposing side remained neglected and discolored.
Local residents criticized the Roads and Highways Department, alleging that the beautification effort was staged specifically for the Prime Minister’s transit. Resident Mansur Alam of Baluchara questioned the expenditure of public funds, suggesting that the failure to paint both sides hinted at potential financial irregularities. Another commuter, Kazi Nurul Azam, noted that the road would have looked significantly better if maintenance had been conducted uniformly.
In response to the public outcry, road crews were seen Monday morning beginning the process of painting the previously ignored side of the divider.
Department officials have denied that the timing of the maintenance was tied to the Prime Minister’s visit. Ranjan Kumar Biswas, a sub-assistant engineer with the Roads and Highways Department, attributed the delay to inclement weather. He maintained that the project was part of a regular beauty enhancement initiative and that there were always plans to cover both sides of the divider.
“We began work two to three days before the Prime Minister’s arrival, but rain and various logistical constraints prevented us from completing both sides,” Biswas said. He added that the work is being funded through existing routine maintenance budgets and that final costs would be disclosed once the project is fully completed.
Mohammad Moslehuddin Chowdhury, executive engineer of the Chittagong District Roads Department, reiterated that the beautification project, which included clearing vegetation and cleaning bridges and culverts, has been a month-long, ongoing process.
“If we did not have a pre-existing plan, it would not have been possible to implement such extensive work across a 12-kilometer road,” Chowdhury stated, rejecting claims that the work was prompted by the viral videos.
Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Muhammad Abdullah Al Mumin confirmed that he had discussed the matter with the roads department, noting that they reiterated weather-related delays as the primary reason for the incomplete status of the project.
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