Rangpur Correspondent :
Sufferings of the people of two unions under Gangachhara upazila in Rangpur district have mounted due to absence of a permanent bridge over river Ghaghot at JahirPara Kaderer ghat area.
Sources said about 20,000 people at different villages including Banglapara, Jahirpara at Alombiditor union and Bagdohra, Boirati at Nohali union of the upazila have long been sufferingmuch,asthe areas are almost detached from upazila headquarters owing to lack of a permanent bridge over the river.
Since people cannot travel between the upazila headquarters and other places by crossing the river without any difficulty, educational, business and public health services are seriously being hampered in the areas. Trades and farmers are suffering immensely on account of communication problem, as they need to carry their products to upazila markets for sale.
Mominul Islam (45), a farmer of Banglapara village said they are often deprived of fair prices of their produce which they cannot carry easily to the upazila headquarters due to absence of a bridge.
Aggrieved local people expressed their disappointment saying that successive local government authorities could not construct a bridge over the river though they made pledges for it many times. Whenever election comes closer candidates woo voters assuring them of constructing a bridge over the river but once it is over the elected representative becomes oblivious to the commitment, they further said.
Finding no other alternative, the local people voluntarily erected a bamboo bridge over the river to ease the communication problem. Everyday thousands of people use the bamboo structure risking their lives as it swings while they move on it. Serious accident may take place any time, locals apprehended. Local people formed a human chain on February 15 demanding immediate construction of a bridge over the river.
