Even after five years since the construction of the Bhatchala Beel Canal, thousands of residents in Sapir village, in the Harirampur Upazila of Manikganj, continue to suffer due to the absence of connecting roads on both sides of the bridge.
It is worth noting that, under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, a 60-meter-long bridge was built at a cost of Tk 54 lakh, spanning the Bhatchala Beel Canal and connecting Sapir with Ratandia (Kalyanpur) villages within the Chala Union of Harirampur Upazila, during the fiscal year 2016-17. However, because there are no roads on either side of the bridge, the residents of Sapir, Ratandia, Kalyanpur, Uttar Chanpur in the Chala Union, as well as Baruna in the Khararia Union of Manikganj Sadar Upazila, are unable to reap the benefits of this bridge.
Local resident Ashiqur Rahman Alal has pointed out that despite the completion of the bridge construction by the end of 2017, neither the local Upazila Project Implementation Officer's office nor the responsible contractor has undertaken the construction of roads on both sides of the bridge.
In response to this issue, locals have resorted to improvisation, constructing a makeshift path using bamboo and soil to cross the bridge. This bridge is essential for the daily commute of children from five different villages, as they use it to reach Kalyanpur Government Primary School, Baruna Government Primary School, and Sapair Government Primary School.
