Moulvibazar Correspondent :
A bridge over the canal at Baradal and Karera villages in Bhukshimoul Union of Kulaura Upazila has been lying derelict for the last two decades. The bridge was built in 1997 to facilitate travel to the largest haor, Hakaluki. The abandoned bridge has now become a choke point for the locals as it is of no use to the people.
Talking to the locals, they said that the 10 meter long bridge and one kilometer of dirt road were constructed by LGED under the low cost bridge or culvert construction project in 1997 at a cost of around tk 30 lakh. Later the people of the area used these bridges and roads for their farming for 5-6 years. But due to lack of any guide wall along the road site in Haor area, the road was completely washed away in several floods. No further steps have been taken to fill the road with soil since then.
Selim Ahmed, Atiq Akmal, Mohammad Shamim, Dilu Khan, Shaheen Ahmed, Badrul Islam, Connor Mia, Pabel Ahmed, Paplu Chowdhury, Fazle Rabbi, M A Ahad, Rimon Chowdhury of Karera village; Bablu Ahmed of Chakapan village expressed his displeasure and said, “As this road is the only way for farmers to reach Haor, we have to suffer all year round.” As there is no road connecting Baradal-Chakapan with the bridge, we have to cross the canal with great difficulty with heavy agricultural products and livestock.
The road collapsed long ago in the flood. After that no other public representative took the initiative to repair the road. Syed Abdul Hamid Mahfuz, Convener of the Aware Civil Society-Chhakapan, said the bridge was built to facilitate the movement of locals during the dry season. But due to lack of soil in the road, everyone is suffering now.
Bhukshimoul UP Chairman Azizur Rahman Monir said it was very important to build roads as there was a bridge. I worked some parts of the road. This road needs a lot of money. Allocation is low at the moment. It becomes difficult to perform even the most important work that is allocated. The bridge is now unusable. Even if the road is built, it does not seem to be of any benefit.
Upazila Project Implementation Officer Md. Shimul Ali said he knows the matter. Necessary steps will be taken to renovate this road from Rural Abkatamo Development Sector TR and Kabikha Project.
Kulaura UNO ATM Farhad Chowdhury said, he will look into the matter and take necessary steps in this regard.
Image caption: The bridge is of no use to the people as there is no connecting road on either side of a bridge at Bhukshimoul in Kulaura upazila.
