Bridge, collapsed 23 years ago, yet to be repaired
An important bridge on Jagirpara-Gourakhali road in Netrakona's Durgapur upazila collapsed within two years of its construction but it has remained unrepaired for the last 23 years.
Almost two thousand people including a good number of students of 30 villages on both sides have to suffer while moving through it but the authorities concerned are indifferent to their sufferings, alleged local people.
The villages include DakhhinJagirpara, Charpara, Naudara, Jangalia Kanda, Bhadua, Munshipara, Nanderchhati, Bandhausan, Atla, Gaukandia and Gourakhali.
The bridge was constructed by a non-governmental organisation in 1996 but one of its sides collapsed as the earth adjacent to the bridge eroded within two years due to flash floods, said local people.
Even no earth filling work was done in over two decades and the condition of the bridge is going from bad to worse every day, putting the village people using the bridge on foot at great risk, they said.
Md Abdul Matin, the chairman of the local Gaukandia Union Parishad, said that the sufferings of the people mount especially during the rainy season when the villagers can not use the bridge.
The bridge on Jagirpara-Gourakhali road leading to Gourakhali Ferry Ghat is important for villagers to reach Durgapur upazila headquarters and different parts of the country including Netrakona and Mymensingh, said the chairman.
Being elected the UP chairman in 1996, he along with his UP members visited the spot on several occasions but it is beyond their capacity to initiate the repair work.
"We repeatedly urged the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) but any step has yet to be taken," the chairman said.
Md Saidul Islam, a local journalist of village Jagirpara, said Jagirpara-Gourakhali road is the only means to reach the local ferry ghat, an important passage to go to different destinations through the Sumeswari river but people cannot carry their agricultural produces smoothly using the bridge as no heavy or loaded vehicles can ply over the bridge.
Different kinds of vegetables and crops are produced in the area around the year but the farmers do not get a fair price of their produce due to a lack of smooth communication, said Jafor Ali, a 50-year-old farmer of Jagirpara village.
Md Aminul Islam Mridha, sub-assistant engineer of LGED in Durgapur, said he joined the upazila office some seven months ago and he is not aware of the collapsed bridge.
Replying to a query about whether they will take any initiative to repair the bridge, the engineer said they have nothing to do without the demand order (DO) from the local lawmaker. If they get the DO letter or any instruction for repairing it or to construct a new one, they will go for the next course of action, the engineer added.
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