Broken LGED bridge poses risk

A broken bridge in Dhulipara area on Rasulganj-Bhuksimoil road under Kulaura upazila has been lying unrepaired for about six months, posing risk of serious accident anytime.

Especially school and college going students are the worst sufferers due to the awful condition of the bridge.

It is also an important road connecting Kulaura and Rajnagar upazilas. Nearly one thousand people use the road every day to reach the upazila headquarters.

During the last monsoon, a girder on the north side of the bridge caved in and a big hole developed on it, said locals, adding that as the girder caved in, bamboos have been used to support the bridge.

Apart from this, several cracks have developed on one of its approach roads and since then heavy vehicles cannot cross the bridge, said officials of Kulaura upazila parishad. 

If the bridge on a canal is not repaired before the next rainy season, it might get washed away, said Nazmul Islam, a resident of Rasulganj Bazar village.

The officials have blamed torrential rain for the damage of the bridge.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found light vehicles like battery-run easy-bike and motorcycle crossing the damaged bridge amid risk of accident.

Some villagers said the bridge has become so hazardous that they were avoiding even walking on it.

Habibur Rahman Chalam, chairman of Kadipur union parishad, said he has already informed the officials of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) about the matter.

Kulaura upazila engineer Istiaqee Hasan said a tender has already been floated to repair the bridge.

The renovation work will start soon, said the engineer.