Continuous heavy rainfall has caused a major collapse on the Lohagara–Nahata regional road in the Jalalsi area of Narail’s Lohagara upazila, severely disrupting transportation and leaving thousands of residents stranded.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday when a section of the road gave way under pressure from torrential rains, halting all vehicular movement along the busy route.
Md Nazrul Islam, Executive Engineer of the Narail Roads and Highways Department, confirmed the collapse and attributed it to prolonged rainfall. “The road gave in due to soil erosion caused by relentless rain,” he said.
Local residents said signs of erosion had been visible for several days, especially in the Jalalsi stretch, and despite repeated alerts to authorities, no preventive action was taken. The result was a complete road failure on Friday morning, cutting off access to schools, markets, and hospitals.
“This road is our lifeline,” said Raju Sheikh, a local battery-run rickshaw driver. “Large sections have eroded. We risk our lives trying to pass through. Authorities must take urgent action.”
Nayan, another resident of Jalalsi, added, “With the road gone, we’re isolated. People can’t reach essential services. It’s affecting everyone.”
Shah Alam from nearby Noldi village said, “We can't transport patients. Rickshaws and bikes can’t pass. Even children can’t attend school. Our daily lives are now at a standstill.”
Responding to the crisis, Executive Engineer Nazrul Islam said that emergency repair work was initiated within three hours of receiving the report. “Temporary restoration of the road is underway to resume limited vehicular movement,” he added.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area until repairs are complete and promised further measures to prevent future collapses.
