Thousands suffer for want of a bridge in Jamalpur
This bamboo-made bridge over River in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur district collapsed recently, making construction of a concrete bridge all the more necessary to ease communication between Balijuri and Jurkhali unions and the upazila headquarters. Star
Thousands of villagers in two unions under Madarganj upazila of the district are suffering for want of a concrete bridge over the Khorka River that separates the unions from the upazila headquarters. The locals said building of a 60-metre-long bamboo-made bridge with the help of Madarganj Pourasava and the local donors last year gave them a sort of relief. But failing to bear the burden of a large number of users, the bamboo bridge recently collapsed. Now market-going people, farmers, traders and students of primary and high schools, colleges and madrasas of Tartapara, Sukhnagori, Nadagari and Nangla villages under Balijuri union and Khilkati and Kukurmari villages under Jurkhali union of the upazila find it troublesome to cross the river. Patients, especially pregnant women and sick children, are the worst sufferers due to the communication problem while doctors show unwillingness to visit the areas, villagers said, adding that they have to walk additional three or four kilometres using another path to reach their destinations. "Following collapse of the bamboo-made bridge, it has become almost impossible to carry VGF, VGD and relief materials from the upazila headquarters to the union parishad office at Sukhnagori village which is on the other side of the Khorka River. As a result, beneficiaries remain deprived of local government service," Balijuri UP Chairman Muzammel Haque said. Several locals said the authorities concerned and the local lawmaker have remained indifferent to solve the problem. Contacted, Madarganj upazila LGED office sources said a proposal for the construction of a concrete bridge over the Khorka River had been sent to the district LGED office for further steps.
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