PM Hasina inaugurates scenic Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday formally opened the spectacular Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram all-weather road in Kishoreganj for traffic.
Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 29.73–km road through a videoconference from her official Gonobhaban residence in the capital.
The road was constructed at a cost of Tk 874.08 crore, which connects three upazilas of Kishoreganj -- Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram.
The Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road goes straight through a vast haor area in parallel with Dhanu and Baulai rivers starting from Itna upazila sadar to Austagram via Mithamoin upazila.
The road has already been turned as one of the most beautiful destinations for travellers, holidaymakers and thrill-seekers before its formal inauguration.
A huge number of tourists visit the road regularly to enjoy its scenic beauty and the surrounding haor areas.
Almost half of Kishoreganj district, including four of its six upazilas -- Itna, Mithamoin, Austagram, and Nikli -- is designated as a completely haor area, unique wetland ecosystems that during the monsoon resemble vast inland seas.
In 2016, president Abdul Hamid inaugurated the construction on the road in his home district.
The road will also be connected to Sylhet-Brahmanbaria road in the future and a plan has been taken to build a flyover on it.
The road, popularly known as the ‘Haor Road’, paved the way for direct road connectivity between the haor region and other parts of the country, including Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram.
The prime minister exchanged views with local people who were connected from Mithamoin upazila. Local MPs and local dignitaries of Kishoreganj district were present at the Mithamoin end.
While exchanging views with local people, Sheikh Hasina said the road is a gift on behalf of president Abdul Hamid in the Mujib Borsho (Mujib Year).
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader delivered the welcome speech at the inaugural function conducted by the PM’s principal secretary Ahmad Kaikaus.
Road transport and highway division secretary Md Nazrul Islam made an audio-visual presentation over the road project on the occasion.
The roads and highways department implemented the road project that includes the 29.732-km main highway, three PC girder bridges, 11 RCC girder bridges, 62 RCC box-culverts, road protection dam and land acquisition.