Sohrab Hossain

The 8-kilometre-long Bahalgachia canal, flowing between Patuakhali municipality and Kalikapur union in Sadar upazila, once served as a route for launches, cargo boats and trawlers but now it is unusable even for small country boats, thanks to the mindless encroachment for years.

Trawlers, speedboats and other small watercrafts are often kept anchored haphazardly in Kuakata sea beach, much to the nuisance for a large number of tourists in the picturesque area.

Although a new pontoon and jetty lie at Kalapara launch ghat, its leaser is not using the terminal for launches for long.

Unusually low market price of Aman paddy at the beginning of harvesting period frustrates farmers of Patuakhali and adjacent Barguna district.

Virtually abandoned and cheated allegedly by the only living son and his wife, an elderly ailing couple are passing days amid sufferings.

A large number of vegetable farmers affected by the recent cyclone Bulbul are now preparing their fields for cultivation of the seasonal crops again in a bid to recoup the loss.

All the 17 water filters at Patuakhali General Hospital have gone out of order within three months of installation.

As recently as five years ago, Sobhan Ali Howlader, a native of Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district, would barely make ends meet by catching fish at the nearby Andharmanik river.

Many of the treatment seekers at Patuakhali General Hospital’s gynaecology department have to stay on the floor as the 36-bed ward is too inadequate to accommodate the rising number of patients.

Eight-year-old Khadija Akhter has never been to school. She is also well past the eligible age to enter a primary school.

Patuakhali bridge on the river Patuakhali is crucial for communications with Payra sea port, several ongoing power plants in the region, district headquarters of Patuakhali and Barishal, and Kuakata sea beach.

Aman farmers in different areas of Patuakhali are worried as the plants are drying due to attack of pests like stem borer, leaf folder and grasshopper.

After her day labourer husband died 30 years ago, Chan Banu, now aged 120, became a dependent of their three sons and three daughters. But all these years, she was left out of the government’s Widow Allowance scheme.

Fishermen working in the Bay remain highly vulnerable as most of the trawlers operate without adequate lifesaving equipment.

Kalapara upazila administration during a drive on Saturday recovered about 50 acres of grabbed land near the Payra seaport.

Evening arrives on the crest of waves at Shubho Sandhya beach as the jhau trees planted along the shore whispers melodies to the breeze.

Around one lakh people of four unions under Patuakhali Sadar upazila are badly suffering as at least 14-km area of the 25-km road from Patuakhali Sadar upazila office to Khatashia Bazar in Borobighai union remains virtually unusable due to lack of renovation.

Under construction Kuakata sea beach protection dyke has virtually collapsed, amid alleged irregularities including use of substandard materials in the work.

People of some 50 coastal islands under Char Kazol and Char Biswas unions in Patuakhali’s Galachipa upazila have to take risky journey by small mechanized boats on the Buragourango river between Bodnatali and Charkazol terminals to go to the upazila

Twelve-year-old Jannati’s dream of going to school was far-fetched because she had to get up early every day and accompany her mother Sukhi Begum for work.