An under-construction bridge collapsed in Dakkhin Chandpur of Harirampur upazila in August last year and it has been lying untouched with the authorities concerned trading blame instead of taking action.

The Upazila Project Implementation Office was building the 60-foot-long bridge over a canal on Harukandi-Dakkhin Chandpur road under Harukandi Union Parishad.

Once constructed, the bridge could have connected around 20,000 people of eight villages to the upazila headquarters.

Sources said the bridge was being built by the construction firm M/s Chowdhury Enterprises at a cost of Tk 54.05 lakh.

Abdul Kader Chowdhury, proprietor of the firm, alleged that the design of the bridge was faulty that caused the subsiding. He claimed that he was doing his work properly, but the bridge collapsed due to strong current of flood water.

The authorities concerned did not pay his final bill after releasing 30 percent of the cost, he said, adding that he would go to the High Court for the arrears.

Upazila Project Officer Monirul Islam Shovon said the time of the construction was scheduled from February 6 to April 21 in 2017. But the builders could not start the work in time.

He alleged that they wrote a letter to the firm on July 20 to stop construction as the monsoon was near, but they did not pay any heed and continued with the work, resulting in the collapse.

The deputy divisional engineer and two other engineers visited the collapsed bridge last year but did not issue any instruction, he added.