Volunteers build bamboo bridges over shallow channels

Volunteers came to the rescue of char residents in Char Rajibpur and Roumari upazilas of Kurigram by building bamboo walk bridges on drying shallow channels of the Brahmaputra river.

Over the last one week, eight walk bridges were built in eight chars (river islands) in Char Rajibpur and Roumari upazilas and another 10 to 12 will be built soon, said Aminur Rahman, who took the primary initiative to help char residents continue communications over the crisscrossing channels in and between the chars.  

Aminur, a madrasa teacher from Char Kodalkati of Char Rajibpur upazila, told the Daily Star that with bamboo and rope provided by residents of the chars, around 10 to 12 local volunteers have been working with him every day to construct the bridges. 

The volunteers and villagers also make financial contributions to bear any additional cost during the construction work, he added.

The Brahmaputra's channels are drying up fast with the monsoon season over and it has become impossible for locals to navigate in the knee to waist-deep water in boats.

Now the walk bridges, each 10 to 15 feet in length, will help the locals immensely in their day-to-day affairs.

It takes about 30 to 40 bamboos, five to six kilograms of rope and nearly two days of manual labour to build one bridge, Aminur added.

Remote char Kodalkati's elderly resident Abdar Hossain said they have been suffering a lot without being able to use boats in receding water in the channels, but the new bamboo bridges will ease their sufferings a bit.

Atiar Rahman, a farmer from the same area expressed gratitude toward Aminur for taking the initiative that came as a blessing for all residents of the chars in the area.

Boatman Salam Miah, who ferries people and goods to and from Chilmari river dock on the Brahmaputra river, said receding water in the channels of the Brahmaputra in the area has made his job difficult.

Even the main river has become shallow at places and movement on boats there might have to be stopped by the end of the next month, he also said.