Important bridge lies broken for 3 years

Thousands of people of different villages in Nilphamari and Dinajpur have been suffering immensely since the concrete bridge over Bhulli river in Nilphamari Sadar upazila collapsed about three years ago.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found the east end of the bridge is under Khokshabari union in Nilphamari's Sadar upazila while its west end situated in Alokdihi union under Dinajpur's Khansama upazila.

Besides, around 5 lakh inhabitants of 14 surrounding villages on both side of the bridge use it.

There are three educational institutions, like Sonardanga Government Primary School, Kukrardanga High School and Dakkhinpara Girls' High School, at Nilphamari end, while two other institutions like Purba Bashuli Government Primary School, Basuli High School and an orphanage situated on the other end of the bridge.

Khokshabari Union Parishad Chairman Badiuzzaman Prodhan said although the 160-feet-long bridge was damaged during the flood in 2017, the authorities concerned are yet to repair it.

As alternative, villagers, living on both ends of the bridge, jointly built a makeshift bamboo bridge in place of the collapsed concrete bridge to go to their destinations.

As no mechanized vehicles can move through the bamboo bridge, people have to cross it on foot or on rickshaws and bicycles.

HM Shafiqul Islam, headmaster of Basuli High School in Dinajpur's Khansama upazila, said several hundred students from different areas of Nilphamari come to the school crossing the narrow bamboo bridge.

A number of students fell in the river while crossing the bridge and were later saved by locals, he added.

Farmer Idris Ali, 65, of Pashchim Basuli village in Dinajpur said, many farmers like him owned croplands on other side of the river in Nilphamari.

In absence of permanent bridge, they face serious difficulties to carry their crops, power tiller or fertilizers to and from their croplands, he added.

Contact, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Upazila Engineer Harunur Rashid said they have already sent a project proposal to construct a new concrete bridge over Bhulli river and waiting for its approval.