Villagers completed construction of a 375-foot long bamboo bridge on Amlabhanga Canal under Rangabali upazila of the district yesterday. The cost of constructing the bridge was Tk 80,000, which was contributed by the villagers.

Over 2,500 school and college students and around 10,000 villagers of four villages will be benefited by the bridge.

Mizanur Rahman, former UP member, said as around 10,000 people of four villages had been suffering for a long time due to the lack of a bridge on Amlabhanga Canal, they decided to build a bridge at their own expense. They raised Tk 80,000 with contributions by the villagers, with some of them giving up to Tk 500 to Tk 800, he added.

"We bought bamboos, ropes and others materials with the money. Over 100 villagers worked for 13 days and finally completed the bridge at Lahari bari point near Rangabali Government Primary School," Mizan said.

Abdul Mannan Howlader, a local resident, said they were afraid of sending their children to school as they had to cross the canal by country boat, which was very risky. Students of eight educational institutions will be benefited by this bridge, he added.

Abul Hossain Abu, president of Rangabali Upazila Press Club, said, "We built this bridge on the canal considering the convenience of the school and college goers and also of the residents of Uttar Kazir Howla, Dokkhin Kazir Howla, Nij Howla and Kachiabunia villages."

There are eight educational institutions on both sides of the canal -- Uttar Kazir Howla Government Primary School, Kachiabunia Government Primary School, Kachiabunia High School, Rangabali College, Rangabali Hamidia Dakhil Madrasa, Asmot Ali Pandit Dakhil Madrasa, Nijhowla Government Primary School and Swapnachoya KG School -- with around 2,500 students, he added.

"We requested the union parishad and the upazila parishad many times to build a bridge on the canal, but in vain. We finally built the bridge giving voluntary services to fulfill our long cherished dream," he further said.

Md Tarikul Hasan, principal of Rangabali College, said students of different institutions will be benefited by the canal.