The wave of road development in Khagrachhari district has made the remote hills of the district accessible to all including local residents, tourists and law enforcement agencies. That is why local inhabitants of the remote hills have started to enjoy citizen rights which were unimaginable once here.
At the same time, a new window of tourism has opened here through the development.
Once, if someone fell sick then the patient had to walk several kilometres to the upazila hospital with the help of family members or neighbours. Walking was the only means of transportation for those who lived in remote areas of the hills. But, that picture has changed.
Now patients do not have to be carried on shoulders, rather they can be taken to the doctor from remote areas in a short time by 'Chander Gari,' a special automobile in the hill area.
Visiting various areas of the Khagrachhari district, it was seen that the road development work in different areas of Khagrachhari is eye-catching. Every road is being paved as part of a long term plan. Road development in the hills is the result of the good vision of the current government.
Khagrachhari Road Division has constructed permanent protective Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) retaining walls with drains at different places of roads affected by hills or landslides. Construction of girder bridges, RCC bridges and RCC box culverts on different roads of the district are enjoying the benefits of the transportation system. Roads have also been paved to establish border communication with the district.
It has been known that the current government is building a 1,036 km border road to connect the three hill districts-Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban-in one road. This border road of the country is being built on the top of the hill on the border of the three hill districts. The road has already become visible. As part of the development in the Chattogram Hill Tracts, the border road construction project was taken up in view of the Prime Minister's interest. Bangladesh Army has been entrusted with the task of quality assurance and timely completion of the project. 16, 20 and 26 Engineer Construction Battalions of Army's 34 Engineer Construction Brigade are implementing the project.
Locals said the Ramgarh Tanakkapara border road construction project started from Kashem Tila in Dolia village of Matiranga Sadar Union to Ramgarh. Due to its construction, the transportation facilities of the border people will also increase and their sufferings will be reduced. This road will be very important for Bangladesh in terms of international geopolitics. The border road will be connected with some countries including India, Myanmar.
Locals also said that the transportation system is very difficult in the inaccessible mountains above 3,000 feet above sea level. There is no provision of drinking water and food and no mobile phone network. Solar power is their only dependence. Development works have touched the roads in that remote area. The soil roads are being paved.
Manik Tripura, a local resident, said, "The Mahalchari-Sindukchari-Jaliapara road was launched about three years ago. This has benefited us commercially. We can easily send wood, bamboo, lake fish to Dhaka and Chattogram. Pahari (Indigenous) and Bengalis have been living together here."
People of Jaliapara, Sindukchari and Pongki Mura area said that due to the transportation system, the people of this area can send fruits and vegetables from the mountains to the city. Earlier, if the people of this area were sick, they could not be taken anywhere because of the roads. There was no end to the suffering of the people in remote areas. But due to the construction of the road, their suffering has been reduced to some extent.
Ronen Chakma, Deputy Assistant Engineer of Khagrachhari Road Department, said, "The border road is being built for the security of the border. Khagrachhari Road Department is working tirelessly to build a developed hill tract."
"The construction of concrete bridges instead of dangerous bailey bridges is radically changing the road connectivity in the region and improving the quality of life of the people. The economy of the region will also undergo a radical change due to the development of roadways," he added.
"We never thought that there would be a road here. Earlier patients had to go to town on foot. At present we can move by car. The construction of the border road has changed the lives of many. Now, people are sending their children to school and the rate of education has increased here in the last few years," said Chiku Chakma who lives next to Chengi River located in Khagrachhari district.
