Risky bridge only means

Thousands of people have been crossing the Khiru river in Trishal upazila using a risky bridge for years.

The 242-feet long and 14-feet wide Bailey bridge was constructed on the river in Porabari Bazar area in 1982.

The bridge became vulnerable within 10 years after its construction due to heavy pressure of vehicles on it, said Abinash Chandra Dam, headmaster of Porabari High School.

Since then over 10,000 people, especially school and college going students, have been using the bridge amid risk of accident.

The broken steel-platform of the bridge was repaired on various occasions but no step was taken to replace the bridge with a new one, said the villagers.

As people have to cross the river, many accidents occurred due to the broken state of the bridge, they said.

There are some 10 educational institutions, including a college, on both sides of the bridge and around 10,000 people use the bridge daily, said the headmaster.

Although the bridge was declared risky recently, there is no ban yet to stop heavily loaded vehicles plying the bridge, he said.

Despite repeated calls, the authorities concerned are yet to take any steps to build a new bridge there, said Abdul Quddus Mandol, chairman of Mothbari Union Parishad.

Shahed Hossain, upazila engineer of Local Government Engineering Department, said due to dilapidated state, the bridge was declared risky recently and the local union parishad was asked to monitor it so that heavy vehicles cannot use it.

They have already written to the higher authorities for funds to renovate the bridge but a response is yet to come, he said.