Public woes mount as three bridges lie unused in three districts

Three bridges in Rangpur, Meherpur and Chandpur districts have been lying unused for many years, causing immense sufferings for local people.

Our Rangpur Correspondent reports, public sufferings know no bounds as construction work on a concrete bridge over Chhoto Teesta River at Haragachh Banglabazar South Thakurdas village in Kaunia upazila in the district has remained suspended for about five years.

Sources said construction work of the bridge began in January 2020 under the municipality development fund. The construction company that received the first order completed only 20 per cent of the work and stopped it showing excuse of owner's illness.

In the second phase, another company was given the responsibility of the work. Although a letter of demand was issued, the contractor has not started the work yet.

It is learnt more than 40,000 people of seven villages under the upazila have long been suffering miserably for not having a bridge over the river as their areas are detached from the upazila headquarters.

Moreover, business, education and public health services have seriously been affected in the areas as the people living in both sides of the river cannot travel easily between the upazila headquarters and Haragachh municipality, local sources said.

Traders and farmers are often deprived of fair prices of their goods as they face difficulties in carrying those to markets timely.

Md Harun, a local farmer, said they are often deprived of fair prices for their produces that cannot be easily carried to the upazila market because of absence of a bridge over the river.

Locals alleged as the successive local government authorities could not build a bridge over the river despite making pledges for long, local people have become disappointed.

Salma Akter, a student of Char Thakurdas village, told The Financial Express that she as well as many students has to walk additional three or four kilometres on an alternative way to reach their educational institutions due to lack of a concrete bridge over the river.

Although it is a long standing demand for local people, the authorities concerned are yet to take any move to construct a bridge over the river, alleged Emdad, a local resident.

Haragach Municipality Administrator (Assistant Commissioner Land) Md Lokman Hossain said the necessary allocation was not available when the bridge construction work started.

Since the work was started without the necessary allocation, only the pillars could be built during the tenure of the then mayor.

After that, no further allocation was received. Consequently, it was not possible to start the work again, he also said.

He said he sent an engineer to inspect the bridge. The engineer said it would take about Tk 10 million (1 crore) to complete the bridge work. Once this money is allocated, the bridge work can be started.

Our Correspondent from Benapole says, the bridge built over the Mathabhanga River in Betbaria-Madhugari village of Meherpur district has not been opened even after three years.

Due to the lack of a road, several lakh people are unable to use the bridge, As a result, they are facing extreme hardship.

Three years ago, a girder bridge was built over the Mathabhanga River at a cost of Tk 72.9 million.

However, due to land acquisition complications, the connecting road to the Gangni section could not be built, As a result, the bridge cannot be used.

Residents of Gangni and Daulatpur upazilas have to travel around 5 kilometres.

Farmers have great difficulty getting on the bridge with their field crops, and large vehicles are not allowed to move.

A local resident, Amir Hossain, said that despite the construction of the bridge, due to the lack of a road, they are facing problems in medical, business, education and other essential activities.

Farmers especially can walk and use motorcycles, vans, and bicycles to cross the bridge, but large vehicles cannot move due to the lack of a road. This has also created problems in selling agricultural products.

Local resident Muktar Hossain said, "The government has built a bridge, spending crores of taka, but it is not possible to move due to the lack of a road. Once the road is built, the transportation problem will be solved."

Another resident, Md Obaidul Islam, said, "We are facing many problems due to the lack of a road, especially due to floods and mud accumulation. It is necessary to quickly build the road after overcoming the land acquisition complications."

Gangni Upazila Engineer Md. Faisal Hossain said, "The work on the bridge has been completed, but the construction of the road is being delayed due to the land acquisition complications. The necessary documents have been sent to the ministry and work will start soon after getting approval."

If this bridge is operational, the residents of Meherpur and Kustia districts will benefit in various aspects, including business, commerce, agriculture, and education. Locals demand that the land acquisition issue be resolved soon and the road will be constructed.

Our Correspondent from Chandpur says, erosion by the Dhonagoda river has intensified in the recent months in Bishnupur village in Chandpur Sadar Upazila and consequently, a vast area of the connecting 05- km Kanudi launch ghat in Chandpur Sadar-- Bordia Arong Road in Matlab Dakhshin has been devoured by Dhonagoda river.

Besides, innumerable dwelling houses, homesteads, shops and crop lands just beside this road on the river bank have already been eroded too-said ex-UP member

Abdur Rab Hajra and many worried locals adding that thousands of people have been suffering much for long for want of this road.

Talking to the FE, Malek Gazi, a marginal farmer, has told the FE he was rendered homeless by erosion of Dhonagoda river a few years ago and then has moved to the neighbouring agri and living there in peace by erecting a dwelling house.

Many homeless others also left the village and vulnerable places of erosion and settled elsewhere apprehending further erosion overnight.

A housewife, Jahanara Begum, and her husband marginal farmer Mokles Gaji have been living just beside the Bailey Bridge, standing alone (sans any use ) on the Dhonagoda river bank, have expressed serious worries and anxieties and spending sleepless nights too for the past few months because of non-stop erosion by the Dhonagoda river. The approach roads of this bridge have been washed away already.

Upon request by the local people and some political leaders , Chandpur based WDB authority dumped a few sand- filled bags at the vulnerable points here and there but due to strong current and wave actions, these sand- filled bags have sunk down/rolled down day after day.

Talking to the FE, Chandpur Water Development Board Executive Engineer Jahirul Islam has said, "We've formed a technical committee in this regard and are planning to take up a project to save the river bank permanently. The project will be submitted and then if fund is allocated by government, the protection work will be started."

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