Bridge collapses 3 months into construction
Kolkihara Bridge on the road leading to Rajibpur upazila headquarters in Kurigram district collapsed on September 30, only three months into its construction, much to the sufferings of thousands of people from 10 villages under Mohanganj union.Photo: STAR
About 20 thousand people of ten villages of Mohanganj union under Rajibpur upazila are facing problem while going to the upazila headquarters as Kolkihara Bridge on Mohanganj-Rajibpur road recently collapsed, only three months after its construction. Construction work of the 33-feet-long and 14-feet-wide bridge across dying river Kolkihara started in January this year and completed in June, said locals. Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation arranged the construction at a cost of Tk 18.65 lakh. But the bridge collapsed on September 30, causing communication problem with the upazila headquarters for about 20 thousand people of Kolkihara, Tinthopa, Zigapara, Madonpara, Sylhet Para, Patadhoa, Haruabari, Adarshagram, Nayer Char and Mandolpara villages under Mohanganj union. Several locals including UP member Asaduzzaman Masud, 35, Younus Ali, 65, Anwar Hossain Anu, 52, and Abdul Hakim, 46, said the schedule of the construction was not followed properly. Although the work was allotted to a contractor, another person, who is also a local leader of a major political party, completed the work, they said. “Substandard materials were used in constructing the bridge. The Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) was informed about the matter but he said the work was okay,” said Mohanganj UP Chairman Md Saifur Rahman.
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