A concrete bridge, built over two decades ago in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrakona, is still without approach roads, much to the suffering of thousands of villagers in the area. 

The bridge was built on Nazirpur-Panchkatha road in Kuttakanda area under Nazirpur union of Kalmakanda upazila in 1996, but no approach road was constructed, villagers said.

Around 4,000 people of Kandapara, Shibnagar, Gachhtola, Ulukanda, Koyra, Bogatia and Nazirpur villages use the bridge every day amidst risk, they said.

However, the local union parishad erected platforms made of wood and bamboo as approach roads to connect the bridge to the main road, locals said.

The parishad arranges the funds to make the platforms every year without support from the government, locals said.

The construction work of the bridge was poor and it has become very risky now, they said, adding that it shakes even when a motorcycle passes over it.

As the area is low-lying and is struck by flash floods many times, the bridge has become riskier in recent years, locals said. 

Nazirpur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Quddus Babul said people of 12 villages, including around 400 students studying at different educational institutions, use the bridge facing great difficulties.

It is difficult to carry emergency patients to hospitals in Netrakona and Mymensingh due to the poor road communication, he said.

“I initiated construction of platforms on both sides of the bridge seven years ago after getting elected as chairman of the union parishad. Since then, the union parishad has been financially supporting the work, which costs around Tk 20,000 per year,” the chairman said.

Nazirpur High School Headmaster Ataur Rahman Milon said there are about 550 students in his school, and around 100 of them use the bridge daily facing difficulties. In the rainy season, the sufferings increase many fold, the headmaster said.

The area is famous for agricultural products, but the farmers suffer a lot as they cannot get fair price for their produce due to the bad road communication, he added.  

Beauty Akter, a ninth grader at the school, said they have to cross the bridge at risk, but no one has come forward to solve the problem.

Kalmakanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arifuzzaman said he was recently informed about the state of the bridge. Necessary steps will be taken soon to overcome the prevailing problem, he added.