Whither a bridge on the river Dhum?
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Our Correspondent
RANGPUR, May 10: More than 60 thousand people of seven villages under Kawnia upazila of Rangpur district have been suffering for around forty years in absence of a bridge over the river Dhum. The people of Uttar Dumerkuti, Balapara, Vitorkuti, Mashari, Menajbajar and Dhumerkuti villages under Haragach union of the upazila have been suffering badly for long as their areas are cut off from the upazila headquarters. Business, education and public health services have seriously been affected in the areas as the people living on both sides of the river cannot travel easily between the upazila headquarters and Haragach municipality in the absence of a bridge over the river. The seven kilometres long river flowing through the upazila has separated the Haragach municipality and the upazila headquarters creating a severe communication problem for the people living on both sides of the river. The successive local government authorities failed to build a bridge over the river despite making pledges over the last forty years. As they have no better alternative, the local people have voluntarily erected a 600-metres long bamboo bridge over the river to ease the road communication. Everyday thousands of people use the bamboo structure on the river risking their lives as it swings precariously while they move on it. Children and elderly people are the worst sufferers as the swinging bamboo structure has no railing for safety of the vulnerable people. During election campaigns the local political leaders make repeated pledges to build a bridge over the river but they forget about it once elected, Abdus Satar Miah of Dhumerkuti village said. The affected people of the areas urged the government to construct a bridge over the river immediately to ease their sufferings and boost business activities in the upazila. When contacted, Kawnia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Anowar Hossain told the FE the authorities had already taken necessary steps to construct a bridge over the river to meet the long-cherished demand of the people of the region.
RANGPUR, May 10: More than 60 thousand people of seven villages under Kawnia upazila of Rangpur district have been suffering for around forty years in absence of a bridge over the river Dhum. The people of Uttar Dumerkuti, Balapara, Vitorkuti, Mashari, Menajbajar and Dhumerkuti villages under Haragach union of the upazila have been suffering badly for long as their areas are cut off from the upazila headquarters. Business, education and public health services have seriously been affected in the areas as the people living on both sides of the river cannot travel easily between the upazila headquarters and Haragach municipality in the absence of a bridge over the river. The seven kilometres long river flowing through the upazila has separated the Haragach municipality and the upazila headquarters creating a severe communication problem for the people living on both sides of the river. The successive local government authorities failed to build a bridge over the river despite making pledges over the last forty years. As they have no better alternative, the local people have voluntarily erected a 600-metres long bamboo bridge over the river to ease the road communication. Everyday thousands of people use the bamboo structure on the river risking their lives as it swings precariously while they move on it. Children and elderly people are the worst sufferers as the swinging bamboo structure has no railing for safety of the vulnerable people. During election campaigns the local political leaders make repeated pledges to build a bridge over the river but they forget about it once elected, Abdus Satar Miah of Dhumerkuti village said. The affected people of the areas urged the government to construct a bridge over the river immediately to ease their sufferings and boost business activities in the upazila. When contacted, Kawnia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Anowar Hossain told the FE the authorities had already taken necessary steps to construct a bridge over the river to meet the long-cherished demand of the people of the region.