Time expires, bridge incomplete
Construction work of Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Bridge over the Andharmanik river under Kalapara upazila has not been completed, although the scheduled completion date was September 4 this year.
Sixty percent of the work has been completed, and the contractor has submitted a prayer to the concerned authorities to extend the time for one more year to complete the remaining 40 percent.
The bridge is named after the president of the then provisional government during the Liberation War Syed Nazrul Islam.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the 677-metre-long Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Bridge over the Andharmanik river at Baliatali area under Kalapara upazila on the 25-km-long Kalapara-Kuakata alternative road on November 19 in 2013.
District Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) floated a tender to build the bridge at a cost of Tk 89.83 crore and two constructions firms, Max-Ranki and Jevi, jointly started work on September 4 in 2016 while LGED fixed two years for completing the work.
Construction was scheduled to end on September 4 this year, but around 40 percent of the work is still incomplete.
The bridge will make communication between Kalapara and Kuakata easier as it situated on the Kalapara-Kuakata alternative road. Several lakh people of Baliatali, Lalua, Mithaganj, Dhulashar and Latahaplee unions will also be benefited by the bridge. Now, these people have to cross the river by a wooden boat locally called kheya.
Md Yousuf Ali, a college teacher, also a local Awami League leader, said local people, including school and college goers, will be benefited by the bridge as they have to suffer to cross the river.
Md Masud, a local trader, said they have to wait for a long time at the riverside to cross the river by kheya with goods from Kalapara upazila town. The suffering will end after the bridge opens, he said.
Baliatali Union Parishad Chairman Md Humayun Kabir said locals and tourists will be benefited as they will not have to suffer at the kheya ghat after completion of the bridge.
Communication with Kuakata tourist spot and Kalapara upazila town will become much easier, he added.
Md Mokhlesur Rahman, site engineer of the construction firm, said construction work is being delayed due to bad weather and heavy tidal surges in the river.
“We submitted a prayer to the authorities concerned for extension of the time by one more year,” said Indrajit Paul, manager of the construction firm.
“We are working round the clock to complete the work by June next year,” he added.
Kalapara Upazila LGED Engineer Abdul Mannan said the construction firm submitted a prayer for extending the time by one more year and it is under consideration.
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