Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its 15th-century Islamic architecture and storied past, is on the brink of decay, not from time, but from neglect. The town’s roads are in such disrepair that they are barely navigable, submerged under rainwater, choked with garbage, and riddled with potholes that have made daily life miserable and dangerous for its residents.
This level of urban deterioration is unacceptable in any city, but it is especially troubling in a place of such historic and cultural significance.
Bagerhat was once Khalifatabad, the legacy of Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan, who laid the foundation of a thriving medieval city on the banks of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. Today, it houses some of the most exceptional brick mosques and early Islamic monuments in South Asia. It is a city with the potential to draw scholars, historians and tourists from around the world if only it were treated with the respect it deserves.
Instead, the city’s roads tell a different story. From Sadar Hospital Road to Puraton Bazar and Nagerbazar Road, broken streets and stagnant water have created what residents describe as a “daily ordeal.” Schoolchildren, elderly citizens and daily commuters face serious risks just trying to get from one place to another. Local accounts speak of frequent accidents and a 17-year pattern of neglect.
This isn’t merely a municipal issue. The prolonged and widespread deterioration of infrastructure in a historically significant city demands national attention. The Bangladesh government must intervene, not just with promises and tenders, but with a concrete, time-bound plan for the town’s restoration and maintenance.
Bagerhat municipality officials claim that tenders have been invited for 22 damaged roads and that repair work is imminent. Yet residents remain skeptical after years of delay and unfulfilled commitments. Words will no longer suffice; what is needed is visible action.
Beyond emergency repairs, there should be a long-term urban development strategy for Bagerhat. Roads, sanitation, waste management and drainage systems must all be upgraded in a manner that respects and preserves the city’s heritage. This is not just a matter of civic duty, but of national pride.
If properly maintained and promoted, Bagerhat could be transformed into a major cultural tourism hub. Its unique heritage, if made accessible and safe for visitors, could generate jobs, attract investment and preserve an invaluable chapter of Bangladesh’s history.
The opportunity is there. But it will be lost, along with Bagerhat’s cultural treasures, if the government fails to act decisively.
The time for promises has passed. Bagerhat deserves action.