Ramshackle ratnai bridge: An impediment of development

Economic activities in four upazilas including three in Kurigram district and one in Lalmonirhat could not gain the momentum as desired despite the inauguration of the Sheikh Hasina Dharla Bridge over the Dharla river in 2018.

The Bailey bridge over the Ratnai river in Kulaghat area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, the doorway of the newly-built Dharla Bridge on Lalmonirhat- Phulbari road is vulnerable and narrow and may collapse anytime.

Local business people and traders said that the business as well as development activities in the region especially in Phulbari, Nageshwari and Bhurungamari upazilas of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila could not pick up the pace due to the ramshackle Bailey bridge over the river Ratnai.

The derelict bridge remains an obstacle to the movement of larger transports and cargo vehicles on the road connecting Lalmonirhat with Kurigram and other parts of the country, they also said.

Sahidur Rahman, a businessman from Phulbari upazila in Kurigram, said that they were unable to take the advantage of the new Dharla bridge as the narrow Bailey bridge on Ratnai stands in the way of transporting larger payloads.

"Due to the precarious and narrow Bailey bridge over Ratnai, we are deprived of the benefits of the newly-built Dharla Bridge," he said.

To expedite the socio-economic development in the region, the new Dharla bridge -- built at a cost of Tk 206 crore and 85 lakh -- has to be used to its full potential, said Moktarul Islam, another businessman from the same upazila.

To achieve that objective, the Bailey bridge over the river Ratnai needs to be replaced with a stronger and wider bridge as soon as possible, he also said.

Echoing the same, Sheikh Abdul Hamid Babu, president of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Lalmonirhat, said he has been pursuing the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) for a new bridge on the Ratnai, but his efforts so have far borne no result.

"If a new bridge is built replacing the vulnerable Bailey bridge over Ratnai River, it will tremendously benefit us," he said.

Executive Engineer of RHD in Lalmonirhat Khalid Saifullah said a tender will be invited soon for constructing the 138.44-metre long and 10.25-metre-wide concrete bridge replacing the Bailey bridge over the Ratnai river at a cost of Tk 36 crore.

"The work for constructing the new bridge will start in September this year," he hoped.