Bridge remains useless as approach roads not made in 3 years

As the bridge across Hurasagar River at Rasulpur village in Kamarkhanda upazila in Sirajganj district remains without approach roads since 'completion' of its construction three years ago, people use the nearby bamboo bridge to cross the river.Photo: STAR

Over three years after construction in 2005, the bridge on Hurasagor River at Rasulpur village in Kamarkhanda upazila of Sirajganj district has remained useless for the people for want of approach roads on the two sides of the bridge.
To establish a direct road link between Kamarkhanda and Shahzadpur upazila headquarters, the immediate past BNP-Jamaat alliance government sanctioned about Tk 55 lakh through the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) to build a 36.05-metre long bridge on the river.
About two lakh people in the area would get benefit from the bridge.
Local LGED office gave the work permit to Nurul Islam, influential contractor and a BNP adherent in Sirajganj town for construction of the bridge.
On behalf of the contractor, Abdul Quader, chairman of Kalia Haripur union parishad and a BNP leader, completed the construction work of the bridge in 2005, but he did not complete the work of approach roads on the both sides.
Many people including students and patients cross the river through a bamboo-made structure near the bridge. Sometimes people are seen crossing the river by swimming.
Jubbar Ali Sarker, Bablu Mandal and Abdul Aziz of Rasulpur village said the bridge did not come to their help during the last three years due to negligence of the contractor, his men and authorities concerned. They urged the higher authorities to take necessary steps to construct the approach roads to make the bridge usable.
When contacted, Shafiul Alam, executive engineer of LGED in Sirajganj, said the steps to construct approach road would be taken in the next dry season. When asked why the approach roads were not constructed in time, he declined to make any comment saying that he is newcomer in the district.