Thousands of people have been suffering as a broken bridge on Jhalakathi canal has been lying unrepaired for about ten years. 

The bridge broke in 2007 when it was hit by a sand-laden cargo ship, said farmer Bimol Das of the village. It was constructed at Betra village in Baukathi union under Sadar upazila in 1999 by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), he added. 

Sadar upazila and Swarupkathi of Pirojpur with Banaripara of Barisal were connected by the bridge.

The broken part of the bridge has been lying in the canal, hampering movement of hundreds of goods-laden trawlers that cross the canal every day.

The canal is used as a shortcut for going to Swarupkathi, a renowned business centre, from Jhalakathi, said Rabiul Islam, an agro-businessman of the area.

Farmers have to spend more money to cross the canal on ferry boats as most of the farmlands are on the opposite side, many farmers said.

“I and some of my workers cross the canal four times a day, and I have to pay Tk 5 per person every time,” said Manotosh, another farmer.

“My large trawler passes the broken portion of the bridge at great risk, and we are afraid of accidents at night,” said Nurul Alam, a trawler driver.

Children and students are the worst sufferers due to the broken bridge.

“I cross the canal on ferry boat, but sometimes I cannot catch it. Then I cross the canal by swimming,” said Tuhin Ahmed, a school student.   

“The road was a good source of earning because passengers used to take the shortcut for going to Banaripara or Sarupkathi. Our income decreased after the bridge broke,” said Saidur Rahman, a rented motorbike driver of Jhalakathi College More area.

Villagers said day told the public representatives and officials of LGED about the problem many times, but no one took any action.

LGED Upazila Engineer Md Sharifud Daula said he and a group of engineers from JICA visited the spot, and a bridge will be built very soon under a JICA project.

“The broken portion of the bridge will be removed as soon as possible after a meeting of the upazila law and discipline committee,” he added.