A bridge can ease life of thousands

People of 10 villages in Morrelganj upazila have been suffering immensely since the bridge over a canal collapsed about four years ago.

Local residents have been partially using the risky bridge by placing a makeshift platform, but that too broke down about a month ago, snapping all kinds of movement through the bridge.

Mentionable, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built the iron-structured bridge over Daura Canal at remote Chandipur village about 20 years ago.

Villagers said the iron bridge partially broke down due to flood about four years ago.

Later, villagers temporarily repaired it by putting a makeshift platform, made with betel nut trees and bamboos, since there was no alternative for thousands of people of 10 villages including Chandipur, Jamua, Kachikata and Chargopalpur village.

However, the makeshift bridge too completely broke down last month.

As a result, local residents, especially students of different schools and madrasas, are compelled to cross the canal on small boats, risking their lives.

Tania Khatun, a Class V student from Chandipur village, said they have to suffer a lot while going to and from the school due to the collapse of the important bridge.

"A few days ago, one of our classmates fell from the boat, but the boatman somehow managed to rescued him," Tania said.

Kamal Jamadder, another resident of the village, said several thousand people of nearly 10 surrounding villages have been suffering since the bridge completely collapsed last month.

As there is no other alternative means of communication villagers are compelled to use boat to cross the bridge to go to their destinations, Kamal added.

Local union parishad (UP) member Jamal Sheikh said he has informed the matter to the authorities concerned long ago, but yet no step has been taken to repair the bridge.

Bagerhat LGED Executive Engineer Mohammad Sharifuzzaman said they have conducted all necessary works including the soil test, but the bridge cannot be built in the current fiscal year due to lack of funds.