Far beyond the deadline, work of two important bridges still on

SYLHET, June.10: Crossing the deadline, two years have already elapsed; yet construction work of two important bridges in Madhyanagar upazila of Sunamganj is still continuing, much to the suffering of several thousand people whom those are meant for.
For the nagging delay, locals pointed an accusing finger at the negligence by the authorities.
According to the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), a firm got the work order to construct the two bridges on the Someswari and Ubdakhali rivers.
The firm started construction work of the 320-metre Ubdakhali bridge at a cost of Tk 478 million and the 310-metre Someswari bridge at a cost of Tk 417 million on December 17, 2018, with completion deadline of June 8, 2021.
But only 60 per cent work of the Ubdakhali bridge has so far been completed while that of Someswari bridge has seen only 40 per cent progress.
Locals said the incomplete bridges are causing untold sufferings to over 0.1million people living in the remote haor area and in the upazila.
Delwar Hossain, lecturer of a local college, said the remote upazila has eight secondary schools, one higher secondary school and a college.
Candidates of the public examinations especially have to undergo immense suffering for enduring a tedious journey up to the upazila headquarters due to absence of the two bridges.
About 1,000 children sit for SSC exams and 500 more HSC exams every year undergoing same kinds of trouble on paths. On the other hand, people suffer badly during the monsoon for the same reason- nonexistence of bridges over the two rivers.
Locals said once the bridges are completed, the road communication between Madhyanagar upazila, Dharmapasha upazila and Tahirpur upazilas with the district town will become better.
But due to the unusual delay in construction work of the bridges, how long the people's miseries will persist, they questioned.
Admitting that the delay was occurring due to a number of reasons, an official at the LGED said the work would be completed within a year.