Another bridge collapses in Barguna’s Amtali

Just two days after this paper ran a report on seven extremely damaged bridges, in four unions of Barguna's Amtali upazila, another bridge on Chawra canal in Mohishdanga area collapsed last Friday.

Headlined "Seven deadly bridges in four unions", the report was published in The Daily Star on June 23.

Constructed on iron infrastructure in 2002, the bridge was a vital means of everyday communications for at least 25,000 inhabitants of six villages.

According to Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) office in Amtali, the bridge was built at the cost of Tk 1 crore to connect Amtali and Chawra unions.

Amtali upazila LGED Engineer Abdullah Al Mamun said, "I've received news that the bridge has collapsed. In place of the iron bridge, a girder bridge will be built. This has prompted us to seek funding [for the construction of a new bridge]. Work will begin as soon as the fund is allocated."

The bridge was badly damaged in the middle of last month. It completely collapsed on Friday evening while a battery-run auto-rickshaw was crossing it, said locals.

Maulana Anwar Hossain, superintendent of Alhaj Md Shamim Ahsan Dakhil Madrasa of Mohishdanga village, said after the bridge collapsed, one now has to take a long detour to reach Amtali upazila headquarters.

Amtali Union Parishad Chairman Motahar Uddin Mridha said the bridge needs to be rebuilt quickly as nearly 25,000 people in six villages have been suffering after it collapsed.