The Namar Bazar underpass on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Sitakunda upazila has become a serious safety hazard for thousands of residents. Built in 2010 under the four-lane highway development project by Chinese contractor Sinohydro Corporation, the structure was intended to ensure safe local movement. However, poor planning and lack of oversight have made it dangerously narrow and low, preventing fire service and emergency vehicles from passing through. Residents say the underpass now symbolizes daily fear and prolonged suffering.

Investigations revealed that after the project’s handover, key documents including the original design, as-built drawings, and cost records are missing from relevant offices. This disappearance has raised local suspicions about possible administrative failure or attempts to conceal irregularities. Sitakunda’s municipal administrator and the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials acknowledged design flaws and missing files. They said technical measures and renovation efforts will be taken to ease public suffering and ensure emergency access.

Authorities plan to identify structural problems, remove illegal structures, and carry out necessary repairs to make the underpass safe for emergency vehicles.