At last, villagers have erected a bamboo bridge on their own as a replacement for the middle section of the concrete bridge that collapsed suddenly on June 6 this year.

Locals said the bridge, built in 1994, over the Sanchai river on Narikelbaria-Tikari Bazar road, broke down in June. They said they informed the authorities concerned about the matter, but to no effect.

People of Jitore, Miakundo, Kushobaria, Dhananjoypur, Muktarampur, Marninda, Narikelbaria, Tikari, Dahkhola, Dighirpar, Laxmipur, Malanchi, Bangsha, Beruel and other villages use the bridge. Besides, the road runs to Magura via Narikelbaria-Tikari bazar from Jhenidah town.

Villagers said they had to walk 10/12 km to cross the river, and some risked their lives by getting across on a donga.

Finding no way, the villagers voluntarily made a bamboo bridge to fill up the vacant part with 550 bamboos along the 63-foot bridge at a cost of Tk 4.5 lakh, which was borne by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

Farmer Zinnat Ali of Miakundo village said the bridge developed cracks seven or eight months ago, and they informed the matter to the authorities concerned. The authorities hung a signboard prohibiting heavy vehicles from crossing the bridge. The bridge collapsed suddenly on June, 6, injuring two people of Tikari village, locals said.

Farmer Alamgir Hossain said they can now transport their produce to the markets.

Swapan Biswas, a student of Narikelbaria Secondary School, said they now go to school without any fear.

Toll collector Palash Biswas said the makeshift bridge would get rotten soon and collapse, so there is no alternative to repairing the concrete bridge immediately.

Palash said he charges taka one to two from the users and the drivers of human haulers to meet the cost of maintenance of the bridge.

Jhenidah LGED Executive Engineer Abdul Malek hoped that the work would start after getting design of the bridge and allotment.