A busted bridge that spells danger for commuters

Our Correspondent | Published: August 04, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

JHENIDAH, Aug 3: A busted bridge on a main canal of the Ganges-Kabodak (G.K.) project at Panch Pakhia Napitpara village under Abaipur union of Shailkupa upazila in Jhenidah is posing a serious threat to the lives of thousands of people passing over it everyday.
On the east-southern side of the bridge, there is a big Fazil Madrasa with a Hebzekhana and an orphanage, imparting religious as well as general education to both children and youths from different places in and around the district. Students often fall victims to accidents while getting over the dangerous bride.
People of Nityonandapur, Bogura and Abaipur unions in Shailkupa upazila are to use the bridge as it is on the public-important Hatfazilpur-Hat Gopalpur via Panch Pakhia link-road. Thousands of people daily come to Hatfazilpur bazaar where there lie a big growth-centre, a police camp, a high school, a college and a branch of Janata Bank.
Vehicles like van, bull, horse and buffalo carts carrying agricultural products of the area cannot cross the bridge much to the sufferings of the farmers and traders.
Director of Biswas Builders Ltd. Md. Helal Biswas told this correspondent, despite a virtual death-trap, people use the bridge as there is no alternative for them.
Some men of Napitpara area said two people had been killed, and many others had had their hands, legs, ribs or other important organs of the body damaged since the bridge was tattered about seven years back.
Ex-UP chairman of Abaipur union Rafiqul Islam told the FE, the upazila administration, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and LGED officials were informed of the dilapidated condition of the bridge with no railings and the slab broken-down but with no effect.
Abdul Latif, Executive Engineer, BWDB, Jhenidah told the Financial Express, "Design data of the damaged bridges and culverts of the division has been sent to the Design Circle in Dhaka."