People's hardship exacerbates due to two incomplete bridges in Chandpur

CHANDPUR, Sept 24: Due to the lack of approach roads on both sides of two bridges in Chandpur's Matlab North Upazila and Matlab South Upazila, thousands of people of at least 14 villages have been forced to take long routes to reach their destinations, facing immense hardship as a result and losing valuable time.
In Matlab North Upazila, torrential rains completely eroded the soil that connected the bridge with the roads over a canal in Ward No. 7. As a result, thousands of people of Ruhitarpar, Bagbari, Dengurviti and Daiyakhola villages, especially the students and teachers of three academic institutions, including higher secondary and pre-primary schools, have been facing serious hardship for the past eight months.
A few locals built lean bamboo foot-bridges to connect the bridge with the roads, but it is risky for children and the elderly. Moreover, farmers have to take long routes when they transport their produce in vehicles, nor can they use the incomplete bridge while they need to move their domesticated animals.
Except from the planned 10-metre-long approach roads on both sides, the bridge was built by the municipal authority at the cost of Tk 3.4 million as part of a project funded by the World Bank in FY24.
Students and teachers told the FE that the bamboo footbridges get slippery during rains and become inconvenient for them. They called on the government to take urgent steps to construct approach roads for the bridge.
Municipal's Executive Engineer Fazlul Haque Khan said, "We will complete the works of the approach roads very soon.''
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahmuda Kulsum Moni said she has directed the municipal authorities to take steps as soon as possible to complete the works for the approach roads.
Meanwhile, another incomplete bridge in the Matlab South Upazila, built around four years ago for thousands of people of 10 neighbouring villages, is of no use as it also lacks approach roads.
At a cost of Tk 6.805 million in FY22, the bridge was built by Upazila Parishad with funding by the Ministry of Disaster Management. A canal flows underneath the bridge which is adjacent to the New Hostel of Matlab JB Govt School in Matlab South Upazila Sadar.
Residents of Koladi, Udumdi, Char Mukundi, Kadamtoli, Char Pathalia, Nobokolosh, and adjacent villages of this upazila talked to this correspondent about their sufferings as they are unable to use the bridge.
Matlab South Upazila Project Implementation Officer Md Anwarul Islam said he recently joined this office and will take steps for a new project to complete the bridge after visiting the spot

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