Construction of a 650-metre-long bridge over the Gorai river in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari remains incomplete five years after the project began.

According to the officials concerned, the construction work has been going on with a sluggish pace due to complication with installation of spans and acquisition of land for connecting roads.

The bridge is expected to improve road connectivity between Rajbari, Magura, and Jhenaidah districts once operational.

According to the sources of Local Government Engineering Department in Rajbari, the bridge is being built under the Critical Infrastructure in Rural Roads project at a cost of Tk 63,91,68,170. The contract was awarded to Mir Habibul Alam's MM Builders Engineering. The work started on June 3, 2020 with an initial deadline till June 3, 2023. Later, the deadline was extended.

Visiting the construction site at Naduria Ghat in Pangsha upazila, this correspondent saw five spans and three girders are yet to be installed, while only a few workers were engaged at the site.

Locals said officials had discussed acquiring land in 2023, but in February last year, they were informed that it would not proceed. Now, fresh discussions about land acquisition have emerged, further delaying the project.

"In absence of a bridge, we have to cross the river on boats at risk, especially during monsoon. The bridge will significantly ease our connectivity with neighbouring Jhenaidah and Magura districts," said Apurbo Kumar Ghosh, a resident of Bangana village under Kalukhali upazila.

Md Kheyar Uddin of Bitidanga village under Pangsha upazila, said, "The bridge would be beneficial for businessmen like me as it would make goods transport from Rajbari to other neighbouring districts convenient and less costly."

KM Yahia, a representative of the contractor firm, claimed that 80 percent of the construction work has been completed, while the remaining work cannot proceed without land acquisition.

SM Abu Darda, upazila nirbahi officer of Pangsha, said steps are being taken to resolve complication regarding land acquisition.

Yusuf Hossain, executive engineer of LGED in Rajbari, said, "Once the land acquisition is done, the work will be completed promptly."