Dakshinkhan: A neglected corner of the capital 

My head hurt — not from dehydration, lack of sleep, or stress, but from a mere 40-minute ride through Dakshinkhan. I had intended to explore more, but the appalling condition of the roads made it impossible. 

Most places were inaccessible, and frankly, I could not bear the journey any longer. I had heard that rent in the area was relatively low but as my local guide, Abir Hossen Talha, remarked, "People wouldn't want to live here even if you offered them a free home. Some only stay because they have no choice." 

Talha, a student at Northern University, added, "I live here as it is close to my university, but I never venture far because of the condition of the roads."

The auto-rickshaw ride was a nightmare, weaving through knee-deep water over a road riddled with potholes. The vehicle swayed dangerously, often feeling as if it might tip over — and in many cases, it does. 

Locals frequently share stories of auto-rickshaws flipping, and such incidents are regularly posted in the local Facebook group, Askona.com. Hardly a day passes without someone complaining about the roads. 

Recently, Omar Sharif posted, "Every day, hundreds of rickshaws overturn, injuring people. Is there nobody to see this?" It's a question anyone who visits Dakshinkhan has likely asked themselves.

Some road work had begun a few months ago but with the abrupt change in government, progress has come to a halt. I entered Dakshinkhan through the road opposite the airport, passing Hajicamp. Both sides of the road are lined with residential hotels, primarily serving airport passengers. 

After 20 minutes of being refused by at least five autos, one driver explained, "I'm not going that way, brother. You never know what might happen. The auto could even sink." He recounted a recent incident near the Ashkona water pump, where an auto-rickshaw fell into a hole in the road, trapping people underneath. "If locals hadn't rushed to help, people could have died. I'm not risking that."

"Those without nearby relatives often stay in these hotels before or after their flights," explained a hotel security guard. But it is a struggle for them to check in or out. The main road is nearly unwalkable and the sidewalks unusable, leaving only a narrow strip for everyone to navigate and resulting in human traffic jams.

We tried to go deeper into the area. After walking for a few minutes, we stopped in our tracks because of knee-deep water. Some residents hire auto-rickshaws to cross these flooded patches, though the fare is much higher than usual, and many drivers refuse to risk the journey altogether. I witnessed a woman with a child pleading with her driver to cross the water, offering him three times the fare, but he refused. "I won't go any further," he said.

"I avoid coming to this area. Just hearing the name makes me anxious," confessed Mohammad Hridoy, a 25-year-old auto driver. "The condition of the roads is terrible. The roads have been flooded year-round ever since I started driving."

After 20 minutes of being refused by at least five autos, one driver explained, "I'm not going that way, brother. You never know what might happen. The auto could even sink." 

He recounted a recent incident near the Ashkona water pump, where an auto-rickshaw fell into a hole in the road, trapping people underneath. 

"If locals hadn't rushed to help, two or four people could have died. I'm not risking that."

While some road work is ongoing, it is only on the main roads. The inner streets remain in disrepair. "To fix the roads, supply trucks need to come through. Do you think any heavy vehicle can navigate these broken streets?" asked Amanat Ullah, a local resident. 

Another elderly man echoed the same sentiment, saying, "Buildings have been under construction for years because it is impossible to bring materials through these alleys. Some areas are simply inaccessible."

We finally managed to convince a rickshaw driver to take us through Naddapara, Dakshinkhan Thana, and the local bazaar. The roads were either broken, bumpy or muddy, and at several points, passengers had to get out to help the auto-rickshaw navigate the uneven terrain or thick mud. 

This was the reality throughout most of Dakshinkhan Thana, an area of 11.08 square kilometres. Bounded by Gazipur Sadar upazila to the north, Khilkhet Thana to the south, Uttarkhan Thana to the east, and Uttara and Bimanbandar Thanas to the west, the entire area is plagued by the same dismal conditions.

Some roads are bad, others are worse, and a few are downright treacherous. According to local resident Mehedi Hasan Shamim, "The condition of Ashkona-Amtola-Aynusbag Road is probably the worst." 

Shahidul Islam, another resident, added, "If you're going to report on roads, you have to cover the ones in Courtbari. The road entering from Abdullahpur is under immense pressure because all the other roads in the area are under construction, which is moving at a painfully slow pace." 

He went on to explain, "With trucks coming in during the day, auto-rickshaws get stuck for hours." Islam also mentioned political neglect, saying, "If you want to see an area suffering from underdevelopment for political reasons, look at Chourasta. The road from there to the police outpost and Aftab Market hasn't seen any work in the last 16 years because BNP leader Kofil Uddin lives there."

A nightmare for health emergencies

While the lack of amenities like consistent gas is a major concern, as noted by Rafiqul Islam Sharif, a resident of the Mollartek area, the real danger lies in the roads, particularly when it comes to medical emergencies. 

As Arafat Shawon, another resident of the same area, put it, "The main problem is the road. You can't take a sick person through it. The road's condition makes a sick person even worse. It's the primary issue. If this gets fixed, the people here don't want anything else. This area has always been neglected, and we have no expectations from anyone."

While crossing the Ashkona Water Pump area, we witnessed a chilling scene: a severely wounded patient, likely on the way to a hospital, being transported in an auto-rickshaw. He needed an ambulance but the condition of the roads made it impossible. 

The man lay across the laps of four people inside the auto, blood dripping from his body onto the water below. On Askona.com, someone shared a story about a patient who was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. The doctor said he could have been saved if he had been brought in sooner but the poor road condition delayed his arrival.

Dakshinkhan Thana was established in 2006, named after Dakshinkhan Adarsha Union Parishad, which was dissolved in 2018 when the area became part of Dhaka North City Corporation. Yet, six years later, the local population has seen little to no improvement.

"Some work was ongoing, and we initially expected to deliver some results by November," said Mir Khairul Alam, CEO of Dhaka North. "However, the uprising caused a slight delay. The work has now resumed, and we anticipate producing visible results by December," he added, though he did not provide any clear idea about what these visible results would be. 

However, the local people seem not to be happy with promises, they want to see actual results. As Rakesh Saha, a local school teacher, puts it, "We have had many promises over the last 5-7 years, but the situation only got worse."

Double the pain, triple fare

"I'm tired of paying exorbitant auto fares," said Mahedee Hassan, a resident of the Naddapara area. He is not alone — everyone in the area pays extra to travel to certain parts, with no other viable transport options available. 

Tawhidul Islam, in a sarcastic tone, remarked, "These autos are wonders of science. They can travel on roads, water and even hill tracks, thanks to their daily practice of navigating the massive potholes in this area."

Hridoy, an auto driver, admitted, "It's common for drivers to charge Tk200 instead of Tk50 because most drivers refuse to go. The passengers have no choice but to pay the extra fare."

Talha, the local guide, concluded, "Fixing the roads in this area would solve most of the other issues, including building construction and economic development. People would actually want to live here because it's close to the airport and there's a university nearby. This place could have been a great location."

But when and how these roads will be fixed, no one knows.