Thousands suffer as lone river bridge collapses
People take risky ride on a banana plant made raft to cross Ichhamati River in Nusratpur union of Chirirbandar upazila under Dinajpur district as the 100-metre-long bamboo bridge, the lone one in the area, collapsed under the pressure of strong current on June 30. Photo: STAR
Around 50,000 villagers of Nusratpur union in Chirirbandar upazila under the district are suffering as the 100-metre-long bamboo bridge, the lone one on the Ichhamati River in the area, collapsed under the pressure of strong current with the rise of water level on June 30. Nusratpur union parishad (UP) consisting 16 villages with around 50,000 population is separated by the Ichhamati River from the district town, said Nure Alam Siddiqui Nayan, chairman of the UP. "As we have to cross the driver to go to Ranirbandar of Tetulia union in Chirirbandar upazila, the district town and other places, we are taking risky ride on rafts made of banana trees for the purpose," said Md Mahbubur Rahman of Nusratpur village in Chirirbandar upazila. Almost every year, villagers erect the bridge with bamboo to solve the problem as authorities have remained indifferent despite pledges from lawmakers during different governments to build a concrete bridge on the river, said locals. Md Abdul Hasan Mahmud Ali, lawmaker from Dinajpur-4 constituency (Chirirbandar-Khansama), pledged to erect a permanent bridge on the river during his electoral campaign in 2008, but the work is yet to start, said Nur Islam of Nusratpur village. During a visit to the site a couple of days ago, this correspondent saw people using rafts to cross the river. UP Chairman Nure Alam Siddiqui said, "The broken bridge will be repaired when the water level recedes. I have continued efforts to build a permanent bridge on the river to mitigate suffering of locals."
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