RANGPUR, Sept 11: : More than 60,000 people of five villages under Kawnia upazila in the district have been suffering a lot for over forty years in absence of a bridge over the Dhum river under the upazila.
People of Dhumerkuti, Balapara, Vitorkuti, Mashari and Menajbajar villages under Haragachh union of the upazila have been suffering miserably for long, as their areas are cut off from the upazila headquarters.
Business, education and public health services have seriously been affected in the areas as the people living on both sides of the river cannot travel easily between the upazila headquarters and Haragach municipality due to lack of a concrete bridge over the river.
The seven kilometres long river flowing through the upazila has separated the Haragachh municipality as well as the upazila headquarters creating a severe communication problem for the people living on both sides of the river.
The successive local government authorities could not erect a bridge over the river despite making pledges over the last forty years disappointing the affected people of the upazila.
As they have no better alternative, the local people have voluntarily erected a 600-metres long bamboo bridge over the river to ease the road communication.
Everyday thousands of people use the bamboo structure over the river risking their lives.
Locals said the bamboo-bridge swings while they move on it.
Children and elderly people are the worst sufferers as the swinging bamboo structure has no railing for safety of the vulnerable people.
During election campaigns the local political leaders make repeated pledges to build a bridge over the river but they forget about it once elected public representatives, Motaleb Mia, a resident of Dhumerkuti said.
The affected people of the areas urged the government to construct a permanent bridge over the river immediately to ease their sufferings and boost business activities in the upazila.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
