Ex-enclave people cry for a bridge

People of former enclave Dashiarchhara under Phulbari upazila of the district have been demanding for over one year construction of a concrete bridge to replace the bamboo bridge they built over the Nilkumar River near Kalirhat Bazar. 

Thousands of people cross the bridge to go to Phulbari upazila headquarters on bicycle, motor cycle and rickshaw. They have to travel six kilometres more for transporting goods by motorised vehicles as the bridge cannot take the load.

Samiul Haque, 58, of Kuti Chardrakhana village said a 40-metre-long bamboo bridge was constructed with the help of locals in the first week of August.

Nazrul Islam, 60, of Kalirhaat area said, “We expect the bamboo bridge to last up to December this year. A concrete bridge should be constructed here in public interest.”

Golam Mostafa, general secretary of Bangladesh chapter of former India-Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee, said, “A bamboo bridge was constructed with the help of Phulbari Upazila Parishad in October last year, which broke down some months after construction. Locals constructed a bamboo bridge this month on their own initiative.”

Some people of Kashipur, Bhangamor and Phulbari unions could also use the Dashiarchhara-Kuthi Chandrakhana-Phulbari road for going to the upazila headquarters if a concrete bridge over Nilkumar River is constructed, he added.

Md Sharifuzzaman, senior assistant engineer of LGED in Kurigram said, “Work of road construction (including small bridge and culvert) at a cost of Tk 16 crore is going on in Dashiarchhara. A proposal of constructing a 30-metre-long bridge over the Nilkumar River has been included with development project proforma, which has been sent to higher authorities for approval. After getting approval and allocation, we can start work of the proposed bridge.”