Ghior Bridge remains risky, authorities turn blind eye
Passengers, including the ones to and from Manikganj district headquarters and capital Dhaka, take the trouble to cross Ghior Bridge over Dhaleshwari River on foot to look for transport at the other end. The authorities prohibited movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge that has turned too risky due to loosening of soil from near its pillars (inset).Photo: STAR
The road passengers from Daulatpur upazila of Manikganj, Chowhali of Sirajganj and Nagarpur of Tangail district are badly suffering as Ghior Bridge over the Dhaleswari River on Ghior-Daulatpur road has turned risky due to loosening of soil under its two pillars. The authorities on July 19 suspended plying of vehicles except rickshaws, rickshaw-vans and auto-rickshaws on the bridge, and consequently, road journey between Manikganj district headquarters and Daulatpur upazila has remained a troublesome one. The people of Chowhali upazila of Sirajganj and Nagarpur upazila of Tangail also use Ghior-Daulatpur road to go to the capital Dhaka. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built the 180-metre-long and 3.66-metre-wide Ghior Bridge with Tk 2 crore in 2007 and it was opened in June for vehicular movement, said sources of Ghior upazila office. There are eight pillars in the bridge. As the bridge has turned risky, the authorities have set warning signboards and fence with tree logs and iron chain on both sides of the bridge to prevent vehicular movement there. The police have been deployed three too. "We have taken the steps according to decision of the authorities concerned. However, we allow government vehicles and ambulance to cross the bridge," said Ashraf-ul-Islam, officer in charge of Ghior police station. Now the people travelling on the road have to spend more time and money for the purpose, locals said. Ahead of the Eid, the situation has appeared as an added worry especially for the homebound people travelling with family members. During this correspondent's visit to the spot on Wednesday, locals alleged that a section of people have been lifting sand from 60-70 yards off the bridge for long although soil lifting within 200 yards of the bridge is illegal. "The bridge is now under threat as the soil from the bottom of its two pillars has been washed away by the river current. The LGED high officials have already visited the bridge two times. The soil has been sent to the research unit of LGED head office for test. We will take necessary steps after getting the soil test report," said Md Yusuf Hossain, Ghior upazila LGED engineer. Asked about the allegation of illegal sand lifting, he said the local administration is supposed to see the matter. Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent failed to talk to the upazila nirbahi officer for his version as he did not receive phone calls. When contacted, local lawmaker ABM Anwarul Haque said, "I talked with the officials of Water Development Board, LGED and Roads and Highways Department and directed them to take necessary steps jointly to make the bridge usable in an urgent basis. I also sat with the deputy commissioner, the police superintendent, the upazila nirbahi officer and the officer in charge to solve the problem." The Daily Star on July 25 ran a report with photo on its National Page regarding the bridge.
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