Over one hundred bridges of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Harinakundu, Jhenaidah Sadar and Shailkupa upazilas of Jhenaidah are in dilapidated condition increasing the sufferings of thousands of people as those were not repaired in last 58 years of construction.
The bridges were constructed for smooth movement of the farmers as well as locals through the brick soling roads with their produced crops and link with the markets in the locality for agriculture produces selling purposes.
When the old and dilapidated bridges were not maintained or repaired for couple of decades, most of them were partly of fully damaged and turned to death traps for the pedestrians and others moving on the roads. Locals have demanded to repair the bridges at no delay so that the people could move through the bridges and take their agriculture produces without any hassle.
When contacted at a number of people in Harinakundu upazila informed the bridges were located at villages Harishpur, Beltala, Ramnagar, Dhulia, Sripur, Andulia, Satbridge, Chatkabaria, Parbatipur, Kulbaria, Poltadanga, Kalaparia, Porahati, Charpara, Mandia-Raghuanathpur, Shura and other villages were partly of fully damaged long ago when they were not repaired at all since the construction work about 58 years ago.
They said the locals with their own efforts have made alternative way to cross the bridges any way. At most of the areas the people have been moving additional roads to arrive their desired destination. The students in local schools and colleges have been suffering when they have to run additional roads to attend classes. It has been increasing their transport cost and killing their time at a regular basis.
A farmer in the area when contacted said as the bridges were abandoned for long, they have to hire alternative transport to bring their crops to home from the field as well as send in the markets for selling.
They said the bridges at Goloknagar, Shahidnagar, Katlagari, Khulumbaria and other places in Shailkupa upazila are not safe also. Major or minor road accidents took place killing and injuring huge people in last 20 years, they said.
Joradah union parishad (UP) chairman Jahidul Islam Babu Mia when contacted said, the people of the are faces setback when the bridge over the irrigation canal was unfit for movement. They said it was the irony of fate when the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been showing tremendous success in each and every sector, while the BWDB authorities showing o interest to replace the bridges in decades together.
BWDB executive engineer (XEN) in Jhenaidah Abu Raihan when contacted admitted that the bridges on 520 kilometre length Ganges-Kobadak (GK) irrigation canals were constructed during 1965 or 66, were almost damaged long ago. They have been preparing list to repair the damaged ones to submit the same to BWDB higher authorities.
