Sufferings of commuters have increased as a concrete bridge has remained dilapidated since a long time in Rangpur while work on the construction of a bridge in Sunamganj is yet to be completed despite the expiry of the project's deadline.
Our correspondent from Rangpur reports, the bridge over the Shalmara river at Balarghat under Mithapukur upazila in the district has been rundown for more than five years.
The ramshackle bridge is posing serious risk for traffic as well as commuters as its railings on both sides have broken down.
Every day, people of around 30 villages of Mithapukur upazila have to use the bridge for going to the upazila headquarters for different purposes, jeopardising their lives, sources alleged.
Moreover, hundreds of people, including students, patients, children, elderly persons and traders, are compelled to use the bridge every day, risking their lives.
It is mentionable here that the bridge is very important as it is the way for going to the birth place of eminent writer Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, the pioneer of women's liberation in Bangladesh and India. Visitors who come to visit Begum Rokeya's birthplace from different places of the country also face immense difficulty to reach the place crossing the bridge due to its bad shape.
Imtiaz Emon, a resident of Rangpur city who came to visit the birthplace of great woman Begum Rokeya, told The Financial Express, "I've come to visit the birthplace of Begum Rokeya along with my family members by a microbus. But it seems to be much risky to go there crossing the bridge by the microbus as the bridge is very narrow and its railings are wrecked. Now, we will have to rent an auto-rickshaw to cross the bridge that will also be very perilous."
Ekram, a local auto-rickshaw puller alleged that a large portion of railings of both sides of the concrete bridge has remained unrepaired for long; as a result they are suffering a lot. Accidents take place frequently due to broken railings as well as narrow space of the bridge. Several times he narrowly escaped serious accident, he alleged.
It is learnt that despite having severe risk, vehicles like rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, rickshaw-vans and motorcycles, pickups, CNG, bicycles and cars cross the bridge every day.
Local Union Parishad Chairman Md Farooque Hossain told The Financial Express that presently the bridge has become vulnerable. It may collapse any time. Several accidents take place on the bridge almost every day.
During the tenure of the previous government, the authorities concerned, including local MP and the Upazila Parishad chairman, assured locals of taking necessary measures to repair or reconstruct the bridge, but nothing was done in this regard. He also recently informed the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Mithapukur of this matter.
Expressing frustration, locals said the bridge has been in a state of bad shape for a long time. They requested the authorities concerned on many occasions to repair the bridge, but they did not pay heed to their demand.
In this situation, the locals made an appeal to the new government to take necessary steps to repair or reconstruct the bridge as soon as possible, in order to ease their sufferings. They also urged the new government to consider the importance of the bridge.
Huge festivities were there, the foundation laying function of the bridge in Sunamganj district was attended by the then LGRD minister, who flew to the site by helicopter, raising questions among the locals as well as others.
Inhabitants of the vast haor region on the Meghalaya frontier had a dream for the bridge named as 'the Shah Arefin- Adboito maitri Setu' as the temple of adboito mohaprobhu and the shrine of Shah Arefin, both located on the Indian side, close to the Tahirpur border. Every year huge people visit those places through Tahirpur. The bridge would also help increase the tourism facilities by road linking the various sites in the district like barikka Tila, shimul bagan, Niladri Lake and others.
Besides mobility of the inhabitants of the neighbouring districts like netrokona, Mymensingh and Kishoreganj would rise. The vast haor region would be benefited as a whole. Inhabitants of Tahirpur upazila and its neighbouring areas on occasions demanded the contract should be scrapped and a new one be appointed, but things weren't heeded. Sabbir Alam of Tahirpur said the contractor had failed completing his job even over 4 years after the end of deadline although it was targeted for finishing in two and a half years.
The LGED gave 4 time extensions to the contractor but couldn't take any steps against them mysteriously even after failing that. There are allegations that the contractor had already been paid much more than the works done. This is why the contractor has been delaying the Tk 86-crore bridge work.
An official of the contracting firm however said it had been delayed for various reasons including floods and others. They would expedite it soon, the official informed.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the neighbouring upazilas of the Sylhet-Meghalaya frontier and others are already frustrated with the dilly delaying situation. Many people believe that the contractor had no interest in finishing the work at all.
It's very hard to finish the work soon, even if they resume it any time. It will take a year more, they apprehended.
LGED assistant engineer Zahidul Islam told this correspondent that it would be completed by June 2025.
Admitting the delay he said the bridge construction had been in trouble for various reasons. However the work would be streamlined soon, he claimed. Besides the expenses would be raised to some extent, the official hinted.
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