People suffer for want of bridge over Karotoa
Lone country boat ferries the villagers
People of Kaliaganj and Barashashi unions under Boda upazila of Panchagarh have been suffering for want of a permanent bridge over Karotoa river at Bakdogra Ghat in the upazila for long.
About 20 thousand people of 30 to 35 villages have been crossing the river by a single boat for the last 45 years.
Locals, especially students, patients and farmers of Abalpara, Kayetpara, Dangapara, Phooltala, Nazirganj, Goalpara, Samandanga villages under Kaliaganj union and Munshipara, Balapara, Tokrabhasa, Bokdurjhula, Malkadanga and Khalpara under Barashashi union are the worst sufferers due to the situation, locals said.
Students and employees of different government and non-government organisations often fail to reach their destinations in time as they have to cross the river by using small boats.
Besides, most of the students of different institutions refrain from going to schools in the rainy season, fearing risks drowning anytime.
Abdul Aziz, 35, of Abalpara village said, candidates of different political parties pledged every time for constructing the bridge before the parliamentary elections but they forgot the promise after the election.
Sakim, 22, the boatman of the ghat, said about 400 to 500 people cross the river by the single boat every day.
Abdul Malek Mondal, upazila engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department in Boda, said he visited Bakdogra Ghat recently but is yet to submit a proposal to the authorities concerned for allocation of fund to construct a bridge there.