Bridge turns risky due to lack of renovation

A large number of buses, trucks and other vehicles regularly use a risky bridge across the Mathabhanga River on Damurhuda-Dewly road as it serves as the lone direct road communication with Chuadanga district headquarters for about seven lakh people of Damurhuda and Alamdanga upazilas. 

The road is also connected with 20 rural roads, facilitating locals to transport their agricultural produces to Chuadanga town.

The bridge was built in 1989 but it has turned risky due to lack of renovation, said sources of LGED office in Damurhuda upazila. 

Cracks have developed on the floor of the bridge while parts of the railing on both sides have broken.

The bridge shakes dangerously when a bus crosses it, said Atiul Islam, driver of a passenger bus. 

Shariful Alam Milton, chairman of Damurhuda union parishad, said he raised the issue in the upazila parishad's monthly meeting on several occasions.

Ilias Hossain, Damurhuda upazila engineer of LGED, said, "The bridge got damaged due to movement of vehicles carrying more than stipulated weight for long. Earlier we sent a letter to the communications ministry for replacing the dilapidated bridge with a new one but we have not received no response yet.”