Bridge collapse brings woe to Moulvibazar villagers
People of 40 villages in Juri upazila have been facing immense sufferings since a Bailey bridge collapsed on Friday.
The risky bridge, which was already vulnerable due to movement of overloaded vehicles, over Ratura canal in Gualbari union collapsed when a heavily overloaded truck was crossing it on Friday night, locals said.
Hundreds of vehicles got stranded on both sides of the bridge as the overloaded truck is still stuck there, they said.
Road communication between the villages and the upazila headquarters has remained suspended since the accident.
At least seven educational institutions, including three government primary schools, are situated near the bridge, said elderly citizen Miftha Ahmed Liton of Goalbari village.
The villagers, especially school going children and traders, are suffering a lot due to collapse of the bridge, he said.
Despite repeated call, the officials of Roads and Highways Department (RHD) are yet to take any initiative to remove the truck and repair the bridge, he added.
Biresh Rudro Paul, headmaster of Huson Ali High School, said as a number of students have to come to school by crossing the bridge, the authorities concerned should take immediate steps to set up a new bridge there.
Azizul Islam, a Class V student of Gualbari Government Primary School, said now he along with his classmates has to go to school crossing the canal on foot beside the broken bridge amid risk of accident as the truck is still stuck there.
Abdul Motalib of Chandon village said the bridge has become almost unusable for vehicular movement as well as pedestrians as huge potholes and cracks have developed after completion of the repair work ten months ago.
Sohodeb Sutradhor, deputy engineer of RHD in Juri, said they started the repair work of the collapsed bridge and removing the truck.
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