Thousands suffer for want of permanent bridge

About 20 thousand people of three villages of two unions in Madarganj upazila under Jamalpur district are suffering for want of a concrete bridge over a canal at Gopalpur village in the upazila.

The affected people belong to Mahishbathan and Dhulirbanda villages under Karoichura union and Gopalpur under Gunaritola union.

The people of Gopalpur village built a bamboo bridge on self-help basis in 2007.

But under the pressure of thousands of people, the bridge turned too risky within a few months and the villagers rebuilt it before the rainy season next year.

The locals do the same with their own labour and money every year but authorities are yet to take steps to solve the problem permanently.

Septuagenarian Mujibur Rahman of Gopalpur village died after falling from the bridge in November 2013 as a portion of it collapsed suddenly, said the victim's relative Shafiqul Islam.

During a recent visit to the spot, this correspondent met one Solaiman of the village, who got badly injured after falling from the bridge with his motorbike on February 7.

Locals are facing trouble to go to the upazila headquarters, health complex, schools, markets, banks and different government and non-government offices located there, said affected people.

"Every year we need to rebuild the bamboo bridge and for the purpose we collect around Tk 75,000 from the villagers before the rainy season. We want a concrete bridge over the canal for smooth communication," said Afzal Hossain, a local resident and former member of the union parishad.

Contacted, Jugal Krishna Mondal, LGED engineer of Madarganj upazila, said he sent a proposal for building a 60-metre-long concrete bridge over the canal to the higher authorities one and a half years ago, but they are yet to take any step in this regard.