Risky ride on dinghy to cross canal

Local people of six villages have been suffering for long for want of a bridge over Debpur canal in Kalapara upazila.

The villagers have to cross the canal on a dinghy amid accident risk every day.

Especially schoolchildren and patients are the worst sufferers due to the communication problem, said villagers.

The villages are Debpur, Nishanbaria, Chalitabunia, Dhankhali, Choilabunia and Pachjunia in the upazila.

Locals tied trees on both sides of the canal with rope and cross the canal on the dinghy by pulling the rope amid risk of accident.

Most of the villagers cannot run the boat and due to this, local people arranged the system on their own.

As different educational institutions, a bazar, the union parishad office, a post office and several offices of non-governmental organisations lie on both sides of the canal, thousands of people have to cross the water body every day.  

Tanjila Akhter, a student of Class IV of Dakkhin Debpur Government Primary School, said their books often got wet while crossing the canal on the dinghy.

Meherunnesa, headmaster of the primary school, said every day around 70 students cross the canal on a dinghy by pulling rope amid risk of accident to reach school. 

Students are often absent during the rainy season, she said.

Despite repeated calls, the local union parishad (UP) chairman is yet to take any steps to build a bridge on the canal.

Champapur UP chairman Md Rintu Talukder said they have already raised the issue in the upazila development committee’s meeting.

SM Rakibur Ahsan, chairman of Kalapara upazila parishad, said they do not have sufficient fund to build a bridge on the canal.

Abdul Mannan, engineer of Local Government Engineering Department in Kalapara upazila, said they have already informed the higher authorities about the matter but to no respond yet.