Thousands of people of Sakhipur and Basail upazilas of the district have been suffering for decades due to lack of a bridge on the Banshai river.

Tangail-8 constituency comprises the two upazilas, and the river, which flows through the bordering areas of the two upazilas, has kept the people of the constituency divided.

Locals have been crossing the river on a bamboo bridge built by a local boatman family of Suinnya Bazar area in Basail upazila several years ago.

The bridge has become shaky and people cross the river at great risk, especially during the rainy season, villagers said.

People of Dariapur, Jadavpur, Berbari, Koiyamodhu, Protima Bonki, Shola Protima, Boalee, Nalua, Hizlipara, Deobari, Langulia, Chakpara, Silimpur, Kalian and Kangalichheo villages under Sakhipur upazila, and Suinnya, Gilabari, Kalia, Kawaljani and Mandarjani villages under Basail upazila use the bamboo bridge to go to different places in the upazilas, they added.

A primary school, a high school, an alim madrasa and several kindergartens are situated in Suinnya area. Patients, goods carrying rickshaw vans and hundreds of students from both the upazilas cross the shaky bamboo bridge every day, villagers said.

Several students of local schools said they feel scared while crossing the bridge.

"I have to cross the river parking my motorcycle by the side of the river every day," said Mahmudul Hasan, assistant superintendent of Suinnya Alim Madrasa.

"The bamboo bridge becomes submerged when the water level rises during the rainy season and people cross the river on boats, taking risk," said Abdul Hamid, a shopkeeper at Suinnya Bazar.

"We have been demanding construction of a concrete bridge in the area for long to solve the problem but nothing has been done so far," he added.

Upazila Engineer in Sakhipur Kazi Fahad Quddus said a proposal to construct a one kilometre-long concrete road in place of the earthen road at the east end of the bridge has been sent to the higher authorities and they hope that it will be implemented very soon.

He, however, said the bamboo bridge area is under Basail upazila.