Bamboo bridge the only means for thousands
Around 20,000 people of seven villages in two unions under Madarganj upazila have been suffering much for want of a concrete bridge for years, thanks to indifference of the authorities concerned.
A 300-foot-long and 3-foot-wide bamboo bridge over the Koyra river is only the means of road communication for those villagers.
Villagers rebuild the bridge, connecting Charkoyra village and Mudibari Ghat of Birkoyra village under Adarvita union, with their own money every year after the rainy season as it collapses during floods, villagers said.
Kukurmari, Kaladah, Char Kukurmari, Hatmagura and Atamari villages under Jorkhali union and Charkoyra village are located on the western side of the river while Birkoyra village is on the eastern side.
People of the western villages have to cross the bamboo bridge to reach their respective destinations while farmers of Birkoyra pass over the bridge to work on their lands on the western side, villagers said.
As even rickshaw-vans cannot ply the narrow bridge, the farmers have to carry agro-products across the bridge on their shoulders or heads to reach local markets, farmers of the western villages said.
“When we need to sell a large amount of agro-products, we have to carry the sacks one by one and cross the narrow bridge risking our lives,” said farmers Genda Miah and Shahjahan Akanda of Kukurmari village.
“We have been facing this situation for 20 years. Public representatives never came forward to solve the problem even after giving us assurance repeatedly,” they alleged.
Around 1,000 students, including 400 girls, from western villages face difficulties when they cross the bridge on way to their schools at Koyra Bazar, said a number of students.
Hospital-bound patients, especially pregnant women, fall in great trouble as the narrow bamboo-bridge is unfit for vehicular movement, said 82-year-old Kasir Uddin of Kukurmari village.
“Flood water overflows the low bridge and it remains under water from July to September. As a result, we have to cross the river by boat and face difficulties during those months,” said the elderly man, adding that the bridge collapses during flood.
“The villagers erect another bamboo bridge at their initiative and with their own money, which is around Tk one lakh. We do it in October every year,” he said.
“How long will the suffering continue?” he asked.
Around 100 kids studying at Char Koyra Government Primary School, opposite to Birkoyra village, have to take risk while crossing the bridge on their way to and from the school, said Monwara Begum, assistant teacher of the institution.
Moreover, most of the kids hardly attend the school during the rainy season as the bridge remains under water, which hampers education of the kids, she added.
Considering the suffering of the commuters, the authorities concerned should immediately take steps for the construction of a concrete bridge over the river, said Jorkhali Union Parishad Chairman Faridul Islam.
Madarganj Upazila Local Government Engineering Department Engineer Md Muniruzzaman said they conducted a topographical survey and got the soil of the site tested several months ago.
“On the basis of the survey and the soil test, we will prepare a proposal for the construction of a concrete bridge over the river and send it to the higher authorities within a short time,” the engineer added.
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