Bridge tilts before inauguration awaits renovation
A concrete bridge, which titled before its inauguration more than four years ago, in Mymensingh Sadar upazila still remain unrepaired, causing suffering to thousands of people living in nearby villages.
The 60-feet-long bridge on Katakhali Canal in Khagdohor Ferry Ghat area, was built at a cost of over Tk 54 lakh.
Mayer Doa Enterprise, a construction farm from Barishal, got the work order and completed the bridge construction work in April, 2017.
Locals said construction of a bridge on Katakhali Canal was a long cherished demand of thousands of char people of several villages under Char Sirta union, but unfortunately the bridge is of no use since one side of the bridge tilted soon after completion of its construction.
They alleged that the authorities concerned did not took any necessary step to repair or replace the bridge with a new one in the past four years.
The money spent in the bridge construction work has gone into drain and sufferings of thousands of people of remote char areas remain the same, they lamented.
Khagdohor Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Anwar Hossain Khan said the bridge has brought nothing for the local residents as they still use small boats to cross the canal during monsoon.
He has urged the authorities concerned to build a new bridge on Katakhali Canal, but all efforts went in vain, said the frustrated chairman.
Chairman of Char Sirta UP Mohammad Abu Sayed said nearly 10,000 people of 25 villages under Char Sirta, Boror Char, Paranganj unions in Sadar upazila and Rahimganj union in Phulpur upazila cross the canal daily and face huge troubles.
Thousands of maunds of different vegetables are produced in the vast char lands, he said, adding that if a proper communication system is developed, farmers can easily transport their produces to nearby markets and other places at lower transportation cost.
Monirul Haque Faruq Reza, project implementation officer (PIO) at Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Sadar upazila, said he joined the office recently and the bridge was constructed during the tenure of former PIO Mobinur Rahman Murad, now posted in Dhaka.
The bridge was constructed with proper foundation work, but unfortunately it tilted due to heavy current in the Brahmaputra river, Reza claimed, adding that the bridge is now out of repair.
While talking to this correspondent, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Sanwar Hossain said the site selection should be investigated as width of the canal is not the same on both sides.
Contacted, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Saiful Islam said the ministry concerned is already investigating into the matter.
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