It is disconcerting to note that low-quality bitumen is being imported and used frequently in road construction in Bangladesh. As reported by this daily on Monday, bitumen is entering the country without any certification and approval from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Most developed countries of the world construct their roads with a mix of cement, sand and stone chips called concrete. They are stronger, water-resistant and low in maintenance cost. In those countries all city roads and highways are built with concrete.
Roads and highway authorities should devise
initiatives to construct the roads and highways
using concrete through public private partnership
But in Bangladesh most of the roads of the country are constructed with bitumen, low quality sand and brick-chips, and this is the main reason behind the poor lifespan of our roads. As the longevity of these roads constructed with bitumen is very low, necessary steps should be taken to start the use of concrete in road-construction for better duration.
It needs no mentioning that concrete roads are better than the bitumen-constructed roads in terms of safe transportation. As most of the roads are constructed with bitumen in Bangladesh, these roads get damaged within one year of their construction. Rainwater penetrates the upper crust and damages the road below. Even our neighbouring country, India no longer uses bitumen in road-construction.
Considering the importance of constructing roads with concrete, the government should construct and repair the country’s roads and highways in a planned way. Roads and highway authorities should devise initiatives to construct the roads and highways using concrete through public private partnership.
Also, for the protection of roads and highways proper drainage systems should be constructed. It is time to change our old mind-set of road designing and construction. Our engineers should design and plan for sustainable and environment friendly roads so that these don’t get damaged before their expected lifespan.
