Bherakhali bridge a death trap in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, Feb 19: Thousands of people of some twenty villages are suffering much due to lack of a 22-metre slab bridge on Bherakhali canal on Kapashhatia UP-Rishkhali road at Doutatpur union under Harinakundu upazila in district Jhenidah.
The bridge, built over a canal at Bherakhali village around four decades back, has frequently been repaired with bamboos and date trees by local people.
As a result, the communication on the 10-kilometre road has remained disrupted, much to the woes of the people of the villages.
"The bridge turned to be very dangerous for bicycles and motorbikes, private cars to reach our destinations and carry agro-products to local markets including Dakbangla Bazar, Boidanga Bazar by vans, Alamshadhus or trucks in all seasons," Principal Ayub Ali of village Bherakhali and Ibrahim Abu of village Sonatonpur  said during a recent visit to the spot told this correspondent.
Students suffer as they have to cover additional distances to attend their classes while patients including pregnant women become the worst sufferers while going to the local health complexes and other treatment centres covering additional 8-10 kilometres of road.
"What would take 20 minutes to get to work at Rishkhali now takes one hour, said one Dinu master from Bhalki village.
With extensive cracks and some chunks missing alongside erosion virtually unusable, the bridge is of no use and our communication problem has further worsened, many other local people stated expressing anger.  
"People cross the bridge taking lives in their hands. A number of accidents recently took place as vehicles including a truck, some motorcycles, alamshadhus, vans and bullock-carts fell off the bridge while crossing it, Dr. Abu Bakkar Siddique, ex-UP chairman of Doulatpur union told the FE.
Contacted, Harinakundu Upazila LGED engineer Md. Sharifuzzaman said, "We sent a proposal to the higher authority concerned to build a bridge over the canal at Bherakhali village.'' Rakibul Alam, Xen, LGED, Jhenidah told the Financial Express, "Project Director (PD) of Development Project, greater Jessore Abdur Rab paid a visit on the spot. The bridge project is now in design stage and after its approval, tenders will be floated for implementation of work.''