25 have no lids in 4km areas
Open and unguarded drains across Tongi in Gazipur have turned into deadly traps, posing a constant threat to pedestrians, garment workers, schoolchildren, the elderly, and motorcyclists alike.
Despite repeated accidents including a recent fatality, no effective steps have been taken by the authorities, fuelling public anger and frustration.
On July 30, firefighters recovered the body of a woman named Faria Tasnim Jyoti, who had fallen into an open drain in Tongi. Her lifeless body was found beneath a dense pile of water hyacinth in the Shalikchura Beel, into which the drain flows.
Photo: Monjurul Haque
The incident sent shockwaves through the area, but tragically, it wasn't the first -- and locals fear it won't be the last.
A visit on four kilometre area from Board Bazar to Tongi's Hossain Market on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway revealed at least 25 drains and manholes without covers.
In some places, thin bamboo sticks or pieces of red cloth serve as makeshift warnings. During rain, when the manholes are submerged, pedestrians unknowingly walk into danger. These roads are daily routes for thousands including workers, students, and the elderly.
Locals say these drains and manholes have remained broken or exposed for years, especially along the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and adjacent industrial roads.
Photo: Monjurul Haque
"It's terrifying after dark," said Abul Hossain, a garment worker.
"These open manholes become even more dangerous when there's no light."
Near Gazipur Crescent Hospital, two manholes sit wide open.
Ismail Hossain, another worker, said, "Just days ago, someone fell in right here. Bystanders pulled him out."
Amir Hossain, a rickshaw-puller from Gacha, added, "I've seen manhole covers being stolen in broad daylight. No one stops them. The covers are later sold off as scrap metal."
In Kunia-Targachh, resident Iman Ali pointed to five open manholes in his area alone. "With this much traffic, anyone could fall in at any moment."
Mohammad Zishan, a worker at Ananta Apparels Ltd, shared a near-death experience.
"One rainy day, I slipped and fell. I didn't even realise it was a manhole. Locals rushed to help me."
Photo: Monjurul Haque
Despite growing public outrage, officials have yet to deliver a visible solution.
However, Gazipur City Corporation Secretary Al Amin Parvez told The Daily Star, "We cannot avoid responsibility. We're documenting all open drains and manholes across the city and have been instructed to seal them. Work has already begun."
But for residents, that assurance comes too late.
Mohammad Abu Said Molla, president of the Gazipur District Private Clinic and Diagnostic Owners' Association, said, "These open drains and manholes are nothing short of death traps. Accidents keep happening. Immediate action is essential."
Unfortunately, Gazipur isn't alone.
On July 9, a three-year-old girl in Chattogram's Halishahar died after falling into an open drain.
In the last six years, at least 15 lives have been lost in Chattogram due to open drains and canals, many during the monsoon.
The yearly toll of such deaths stands at two in 2020, five in 2021, three in 2023, three last year, and already two so far this year.
As monsoon rains continue to pour and streets flood, the danger escalates. For residents, daily commutes mean risking their lives on roads littered with invisible traps -- waiting for the next victim.
