The sluice gate over Jolar Canal was built during the British rule on the Charsengram and Natabaria villages of Bilchalan union in Chatmohar, Pabna. People from several villages on the east and west banks of the Jolar canal used to pass through this sluice gate of the flood control dam of the Water Development Board.
The flood control system was later got damaged when the sluice gate collapsed almost a decade ago. The difficulty of movement of people in this area is becoming harsh due to that. Another new sluice gate was built near the sluice gate a decade ago at a cost of around Rs 10 crore. But as the connecting road is not built on both sides, people continue to have difficulty in traveling as vehicles cannot move through the passageway. The adjacent area near the east side of sluice gate stays submerged for about seven months.
The area's cemetery is located on the west side of Jolar canal, so there is no alternative but to carry the dead by boats to bury dead persons on the east bank. In this situation, a new bridge is being constructed at the cost of 2 crore 26 lakh 16 thousand 72 rupees in place of the old sluice gate. Once the construction of the bridge is completed, there will be no need to wait for the boat to bury the dead in the village on the east bank. If the bridge becomes operational, sufferings and hassles of people in the area can come to an end.
Nazrul Islam, a resident of Charsengram on the eastern bank of the Jolar Canal said that there was no alternative other than boats to take bodies to the graveyard for burial from the village. Yusuf Ali Master of the same village said, "If someone from the village dies, our only hope is to take the body to the grave by boat." This condition lasts for about seven months around the year.
Ruhul Amin, a resident of the west bank of Jolar said that there are Uttar Sengram High School, Charsengram Government Primary School and Charsengram Child Care Pre-Cadet School on the east bank of the canal. Ashraful Ulum Islamia Madrasa is next to the cemetery on the west side. Thousands of students from the surrounding areas study in these educational institutions.
As there is no connecting road, students of all these educational institutions including Charsengram, Natabaria, Dhankunia, Binyabari, Gaurnagar, Karkola, Daripara have to struggle frequently. People of about 20/25 villages including Mahajer Para, Charpara, Dodaria, Sonahar Para, Jabarkol, Pailanpur, Mathurapur are constantly suffering due to the lack of transportation facilities.
Our communication with the Upazila Sadar has become difficult. We have been struggling year after year to take patients to the hospital. We are in great danger of bringing crops home from the field and with cows and calves.
The bridge, which is being built on the site of the old sluice gate, will solve a long-standing problem for the people of the area once it is completed.
Chatmohar Upazila Executive Engineer Md Sultan Mahmud in this regard said that a 40 meter long bridge is being built over the canal. The estimated cost of the bridge is tk 2 crore 76 lakh.
The project will be completed before December 20, he informed.
