Villagers suffer as bridge work stalled

Work of an under-construction bridge over Adampura Canal in Patuakhali's Dasmina upazila has remained suspended for nearly a year now due to shortage of adequate labourers.

Moreover, the makeshift wooden-bridge constructed at the borderline of two unions -- Baharampur and Betagi Sankipur -- has also became unfit for people's movement for long.

Locals said once hundreds of residents of four villages under Baharampur union used the old iron-structured bridge to carry their agricultural goods to the district town via Betagi Sankipur union.

But since the old bridge collapsed nearly three years ago, local people have to travel several additional kilometres to reach their destinations.

As a result, about 1,000 residents of the four villages are suffering immensely.

According to Patuakhali Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), LGED took the initiative to construct a new girder bridge over Adampura Canal, connecting Baharampur and Betagi Sankipur union of the upazila, after the old iron-bridge in Mollabazar area collapsed about three years ago.

Construction work of the 105-feet-long and 18-feet-wide bridge under the government's 'Important Rural Infrastructure Development Project (Phase 2),' spending Tk 4.17 crore, was started on March 15, 2022.

Though the construction work was scheduled to be completed by February 18, 2023, only 70 percent work of the bridge has been completed so far.

One of the local residents Advocate Enamul Haque said they were happy see the bridge work in progress, but the work has remained stalled for over a year now.

Gias Uddin Mridha, a member of Baharampur Union Parishad (UP), said due to a halt in the bridge construction work people of four villages have been experiencing serious waterlogging during the monsoon and drought-like situation in the dry season.

Betagi Sankipur UP Chairman Moshiur Rahman said since the bridge work is not completed in stipulated time all the goods-carrying vehicles from the two unions have to travel additional path to reach their destinations.

Contacted, Iqbal Mahmud, representative of the construction farm, said major works of the bridge have already been completed.

But unfortunately, the construction work has been delayed due to shortage of construction workers.

The deadline of the work has been extended till April 30, 2024, he added.

Dashmina LGED Upazila Engineer Mokbul Hossain said the contractor has been asked to complete the bridge work within the fresh deadline.