Bamboo bridge lone means for 20 thousand people
A 50-foot-long bamboo bridge over the Karatoa river in Par Nimaichara village of Nimaichara union under Chatmohar upazila has been the only way of road communication for the people of five villages in the union for many years, much to the suffering of the villagers.
Over 20,000 residents of Par Nimaichara, Majhgram, Khondobaria, Shibrampur, Shitlai villages of Nimaichara union use the bridge to go to upazila headquarters and other places every day, locals said.
“We have no alternate way to go to other places except the risky bamboo bridge. Women, children and elderly people suffer a lot while crossing the bridge, but everyone is forced to use it,” said Saddam Hossain of Par Nimaichara village.
Hundreds of students go to their educational institutions over the risky bamboo bridge, which worries their family members, he added.
Villagers suffer more when somebody dies as there is no way to carry the dead body across the bridge, said Afzal Hossain of the same village. They take the body to the graveyard on boat, he added.
Villagers made the bamboo bridge voluntarily a couple of years ago, and it is the only means for the villagers to travel to the upazila headquarters and other places, locals said.
“We demanded setting up of a permanent bridge and link road in Par Nimaichara village, but nobody cares about it,” said Sakena Khatun, another villager.
Nimaichara Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Kamruzzaman Khokon said the UP has submitted a proposal for construction of a 50-foot-long bridge over the river. The sufferings of the people will be removed if the project is approved, he added.
Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sarkar Ashim Kumar said he visited the spot and saw the sufferings of the people.
“It needs a lot of money, and that is not possible for the upazila administration to spend. We are trying to take initiative through the district administration,” the UNO added.
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