Thousands suffer for want of bridge over river in Jamalpur

As many as 30,000 people of 13 villages under Satpua and Pugaldigha unions in Sarishabari upazila of the district have been suffering for years for want of a bridge over a river at Char Sarishabari village.

The river (locally known as Char Sarishabari Madhya Nadi) divides the 13 villages into western and eastern sides.

The western side includes a portion of Char Sarishabari and eight other villages -- Rakhalgachha, Ghoramara, Takuria, Char Adra, Char Jamira, Char Sataria under Satpua union, and Char Manikpatol and Brahmanjani under Pugaldigha union -- where around 22,000 people live.

Another portion of Char Sarishabari and four villages -- Dasherbari, Shishua, Baghmara and Char Mulbari -- under Satpua union are located on the eastern side of the river, where 8,000 people live, said Abdul Hakim Sarkar of Char Sarishabari village and former chairman of Satpua union.

The 22,000 people living  in the villages on the western side are the worst sufferers as they have to cross the river to reach high schools, madrasas, colleges, upazila headquarters, upazila health complex, Sarishabari railway station, banks, different government and non-government offices and markets.

As RDM Pilot High School, Reaz Uddin Talukdar High School, Sarishabari Alia Madrasa, Sarishabari College and Mahmuda Salam Girls' College are located in the upazila town, around 2,000 students of the western side face great difficulty in attending their institutions due to the lack of a bridge over the river.

The other commuters, including farmers, office and market goers and patients, are facing the same ordeal, villagers said, adding that the situation has been prevailing for years as the authorities concerned have never come forward to solve the problem.

A large number of farmers, carrying agro-products, face troubles every time they have to cross the river by boat to reach Aramnagar and Shimla Bazars in the upazila town in order to sell their products, said farmers Sohrab Fakir of Ghoramara village and Shahid Mandol of Char Manikpatol village.

In the rainy season, the river naturally becomes wider and has strong current. There is heavy rush on both sides of the river, specially during haat days, and the commuters face troubles in crossing the river as the number of boats is inadequate, villagers said.  

“During the rainy season, we face severe problems as it takes longer to cross the river by boat. As a result, we often fail to attend the classes in time, which hampers our education,” said a number of students who are studying at RDM Pilot High School and Sarishabari College, adding, “There is a dire need of a bridge for smooth communication.”

Farmers of the villages on the eastern side of the river have to cross the river to cultivate crops on their lands located on the western side. They have been facing the troublesome situation, specially during harvest time, for years, said farmers Isahak Ali and Suruj Ali of Dasherbari village.

The farmers of Char Sarishabari village, who are divided by the river, are the worst sufferers as they have to  cross the river frequently to reach their lands on both western and eastern sides for cultivation, said the villagers.

“If a bridge is constructed over the river, it will surely help us to grow agro-products and carry the items home and to the markets," they added.

Contacted, Amjad Hossain, engineer of LGED Sarishabari upazila, admitted that thousands of commuters are really in need of a concrete bridge at Char Sarishabari village.

“I will write to the higher authorities concerned about it soon so that they can respond to the matter and immediately come forward to solve the problem,” the engineer added.