Bridge lies unused for 2 decades

A bridge on a cropland at Ramakantapur village in Sujanagar upazila has remained unused since its construction over two decades ago due to lack of approach roads on either side of the unplanned bridge.

During the dry season villagers use a narrow earthen road, built beside the bridge later, to go to their destinations.

Locals said once most parts of Ramakantapur village under Dulai union and Ghoradah village under Tatiband union and a few other adjacent villages in Gaznar Beel area remained waterlogged round the year.

As there was no road link, the then upazila engineering office constructed a concrete bridge between Ramakantapur and Ghoradah in 2001, spending Tk 10 lakh, Dulai Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Sirajul Islam Sajahan said.

The bridge, built 20 to 25 foot high from the ground, brings nothing for the villagers, but left signs of unplanned work, he said.

"I was a young man back then when the bridge was built and it still of no use for the villagers," Aftab Pramanik of Ramakantapur said.

"We use small boats during the monsoon, but in the dry season we have to walk on foot over the marshy fields for years," Alam Sarkar of the village said.

Mannan Sarkar, a resident of Ghoradah village, said the unplanned bridge is nothing but complete waste of the government fund.

Contacted, Sujanagar LGED Upazila Engineer Rakib Hosain said he has no update information in this regard as the bridge was built years ago.