‘Demanded concrete bridges, got wooden ones’
The local authorities have constructed a total of 12 wooden bridges to replace makeshift bamboo ones over canals and streams across Roumari and Char Rajibpur upazilas in Kurigram.
Of those, nine bridges were constructed in Roumari and three in Char Rajibpur with funds from the Rural Infrastructure Maintenance (Test Relief) Programme under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
Separated by the Brahmaputra river, the two upazilas are dotted with canals and small rivers and are largely affected by river erosion and flooding. The residents of the villages face immense difficulties in commuting to the upazila headquarters due to poor communication.
For years, the residents have been using makeshift bamboo bridges to cross the waterbodies crisscrossing through the two upazilas. They have long been demanding the construction of permanent concrete bridges to ease their suffering.
"We had demanded construction of concrete bridges, but the authorities built these wooden ones. These will not last long. At least these are less risky than bamboo bridges. However, we urge the authorities concerned to construct concrete bridges to enhance communication in these areas," said Atiar Rahman, a school teacher in Kalapani area under Char Rajibpur upazila.
"Earlier, local farmers had to carry their produce to markets on foot using the bamboo bridge on the Jalchhera river. Now the newly constructed wooden bridge will allow battery-run easy-bikes to ply, making things a bit easier. We are happy, but would have been happier if our demand for a permanent concrete bridge was met," said Nur Mandal, a farmer from the upazila's Khajarghat area.
Akkel Ali, a farmer from Char Lalkura village under Roumari upazila, echoed him.
According to Mohammad Shamsuddin and Lutfar Rahman, project implementation officers of Roumari and Char Rajibpur upazilas respectively, each wooden bridge is 50-100 feet long and was built at a cost of Tk 2-4 lakh.
Contacted, Biplab Hasan, lawmaker from Kurigram-4 constituency, said letters have already been sent to the authorities of the relief department and Local Government Engineering Department to construct concrete bridges on several small rivers and canals in phases.
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