Broken bridge lies unrepaired for months
Several thousand people in three upazilas of the district have been suffering immensely as an important bridge on Pekua-Avirampur road at Bongshinagar village in Mirzapur upazila has remained unrepaired for the last eight months.
Locals said no initiative has been taken to reconstruct the bridge since it collapsed due to heavy pressure of a sand-laden vehicle on June 21 that suspend all kinds of movements.
Although local union parishad (UP) chairman arranged a temporary alternative for pedestrians and light vehicles by filling earth, movement of heavy vehicles still remained suspended.
As a result, people of at least 20 villages in Mirzapur, Sakhipur and nearby Kaliakair upazilas are facing untold sufferings.
Locals said several thousand people of Avirampur, Kotamara, Inthachala, Bongshinagar, Dighibari, Mutharchala and Baliajan villages in Mirzapur, Rajabari, Dewanpara and Bajail villages in Sakhipur, and Fulbaria, Munchala and Pagurachala villages in Kaliakair upazilas use the road to go to their destinations.
Moreover, several hundred CNG-run three-wheelers and motorcycles ply the road daily.
Bashtoil UP Chairman Atikur Rahman Milton said local people have been demanding to construct a new bridge in place of the dilapidated older one for long.
Farmers Barek Shikder, Abdur Rouf, Jakir Hossain and Khairul Islam of Avirampur village in Mirzapur said Pekua-Avirampur road is the only means of communication for people of nine villages under Bashtoil union.
They said farmers are the most sufferer as they have to face serious trouble while carrying their produces like fruits and vegetables to different local markets.
They also expressed their concern over transporting their crops including seasonal fruits like mango, jackfruit, litchi and early variety of paddies to the markets in the coming season.
Upazila Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Mirzapur Arifur Rahman said primary work over reconstructing the bridge has already been completed.
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