18 years after collapse, bridge still unrepaired

A bridge in Sherpur's Jhenaigati upazila that collapsed 18 years ago has yet to be repaired or replaced, forcing thousands of residents in 15 villages to endure daily hardships.

The bridge over Kabirajpara canal, constructed in 2007, collapsed during a flash flood in the same year. Since then, locals have built a makeshift wooden bridge to cross the canal.

Residents alleged that the original structure collapsed due to the use of substandard materials by the contractor, and no effective steps have been taken since to construct a new bridge.

Thousands of people, including a large number of students, rely on the bridge on Kabirajpara and Putulpara roads, especially during the dry season. Though the upazila headquarters is only a few kilometres away, the absence of a concrete bridge has forced locals to travel double the distance, causing suffering and increasing travel costs and time.

"During monsoon, the situation worsens. Crossing the bamboo bridge becomes dangerous, and transporting agricultural goods becomes extremely difficult," said Enayet Ali, a farmer from Hatibandha village.

Hossain Ali, another resident of the same village, said, "As this is a frontier area frequently hit by flash floods, a well-planned and durable bridge is essential to ease our suffering."

"Farmers often fail to get fair prices for their produce as they cannot easily transport goods to nearby markets. Middlemen take advantage, and many farmers are forced to sell their produce at home," said Md Jahangir Alam, chairman of Hatibandha Union Parishad.

The chairman said locals, with support from the union parishad, built a wooden platform bridge a few years ago, which remains the only way to cross the canal.

Contacted, Shuvo Basak, upazila engineer of the Local Government and Engineering Department, said the 50-foot bridge on the earthen road was not built by LGED.

He could not confirm which agency constructed it.

He, however, said he would look into the issue and take steps to build a new one.