Stranded on a hillock
Around 30 families from the Tripura community, living on a hillock in Satchhari National Park area in Habiganj's Chunarughat upazila, are in grave trouble. The only bridge connecting them to the mainland has collapsed due to the stormy winds and flood water flowing down the canal. As a result, they remain stranded on the hillock, unable to move to a safer region.
Local administrations are unable to help them as communication systems are cut off.
However, this incident is not their lone problem. In the last four years, this community has been affected by landslides caused due to heavy rains. Many houses were destroyed in the process.
Again, some people are crossing the bridge, taking a risk on their lives amid high currents, fearing that the flood situation will only get worse.
Tripura rural headman Chittaranjan Barman said, "Our hillock has been crumbling for seven years now. In the meantime, four families have left as their houses were completely demolished. We have repeatedly urged the government to save this hillock, but to no avail." He said the bridge collapsed when it started raining from early Tuesday morning. "It's impossible to use the bridge at present as the soil has been removed from underneath its base."
Mahmud Hasan, range officer of Satchhari National Park, said the local administration has been informed about the matter.
Contacted, Chunarughat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Siddhartha Bhowmik said, "If the bridge is repaired now, it will collapse again if it rains. Technically we can't construct the bridge without building the guide wall, since otherwise it will collapse again. The Water Development Board has sent a proposal for its construction."
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