A bridge constructed over the Kaliganga River in Kushtia a decade ago has become a symbol of public suffering and wasted public money due to the glaring absence of connecting roads.
Residents of Bagulat Union in Kumarkhali Upazila have made bamboo bridges as makeshift pathways to access the 36-foot-long concrete bridge from both sides of the river. Despite the construction of the bridge in 2013 under the Disaster Management Department's Bridge-Culvert Program, no connecting roads have yet been built on either side of the bridge. The project was completed in the financial year 2012-13 without the construction of connecting roads.
The Tk25.50-lakh bridge was intended for the transportation of goods and people from five villages, including Shalghar Madhua, Santhpara, Khalpara Bazar, and nearby areas. However, it has remained virtually inaccessible due to the lack of roads, forcing residents to rely on bamboo bridges for their daily commute.
Locals said a few months after the construction, the then-UP Chairman arranged some kind of connecting roads with sand to ease the suffering of the local residents. But the connecting roads were swept away by the flood in the year after its construction. In addition to causing immense public suffering, the construction of the unplanned bridge resulted in a waste of public funds.
Regarding hardships faced by the community, local resident Azizul stated, "The bridge is not used for transportation of agricultural products and others. We can only use the bridge on foot during the dry season as it becomes useless during the monsoon season. A 10-minute walk takes 30 minutes to travel."
College student Arif also stated, "The bridge in the middle of the river was built many years ago. But the connecting roads were not built yet on both sides. During the monsoon season, we have to travel several kilometres to go to college."
Farmer Mahatab expressed their difficulties in transporting crops due to the lack of a transport system, saying, "We suffer a lot due to a lack of roads. We want to solve this problem as soon as possible."
Acknowledging the anger among villagers, Bagulat Union Parishad Chairman Azizul Haque Naba, said, "The bridge that has been built in my union is of no use.
Anger has arisen among the villagers over the bridge."
When efforts to contact Kumarkhali Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Saidur Rahman, his official cell phone number was found switched off.
As residents continue to grapple with the lack of proper access to the bridge, there is a growing demand for immediate action to construct connecting roads and resolve the long-standing issue.
