No alternative to ramshackle bridge for five years
A bridge declared abandoned by Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) five years ago poses risk to hundreds of people in Rangabali upazila as the authorities are yet to arrange any alternative for the commuters' safe movement.
Locals, finding no alternative, set wooden pillars over the damaged iron structure to use the 65-metre long and 2-metre wide Rangabali Bridge on Gohinkhali canal in the upazila.
LGED built the bridge to ease road communications between Chotobaishdia and Rangabalis unions in 1990 and since then no renovation work was done. In 2012, the authorities declared the bridge unfit for movement but finding no alternative, local people have to use it with risk of life.
Around 3000 people, especially students and traders, face trouble to go to schools and colleges and the upazila headquarters crossing the bridge, said ABM Abdul Mannan, chairman of Chotobaishdia Union Parishad (UP).
“We are incurring losses as people do not want to cross the bridge to come to Baherchar bazar that sits on Monday and Thursday every week,” said Abbas Hawlader, a trader.
Abdul Maleq, headmaster of Rangabali Model High School, said at least 150 students have to come to the school by crossing the bridge with risk.
Rangabali UP Chairman Saiduzzaman Mamun said no renovation work on the bridge was done although LGED declared it unsuable five years ago.
They informed the authorities concerned about the matter several times, but no steps have yet been taken, said Anamul Kabir, engineer of the upazila parishad.
Patuakhali LGED Executive Engineer Abu Saleh Md Hanif said immediate steps will be taken to renovate the bridge.
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