A bridge over the Dikdari canal in Nageshwari upazila under the district started breaking down about 10 years ago, and has been lying unused for the last five years, much to the suffering of the people.

Around 50,000 people of five unions have been suffering due to the collapsed bridge on Bhitarbandha-Kaliganj road in Bhitarbandha union.

The 65-foot-long and 10-foot-wide bridge was constructed at Jhakuapara village in 1994 by Nageshwari Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

The people of Noonkhawa, Kaliganj, Madarganj, Kachakata and Balloberkhas unions would transport their goods on all kinds of vehicles, and around six thousand people would use the bridge every day. Now, some people use the bridge at great risk only during the dry season.

Waz Uddin, 47, of Jhakuapara village, said, "We have been requesting our public representatives to get the bridge repaired, but they make promises before election and then forget about it."

"We use bamboos to cover the collapsed parts of the bridge in the dry season, but only pedestrians and bicycle riders can use it at great risk. During flood and the rainy season, people cross the canal by boat," he added.

A trader of aluminium items Shah Alam, 52, said, "I cross the bridge very carefully with my goods for going to different villages in the dry season."

Bhitarbandha Union Parishad Chairman Aminul Haque Khandakar said, "Around 50,000 people of five unions have not been able to go to the district headquarters via Bhitarbandha union for about five years due to the collapsed bridge. 1 raised the matter in the upazila parishad co-ordination meeting,

but no action has been taken yet.’

Nageshwari Upazila Engineer of LGED Badsha Alamgir said, "At the initiative of the local lawmaker, soil test and digital topographical survey have already been completed. The plans for the 33-metre-long and 7.3-metre-wide bridge under the Important Rural Infrastructure Development Project have been sent to the department concerned. We expect to get the work order in this fiscal year.”

"Contractor Abdul Hamid started constructing a metalled road in a 665-metre area from Bhitarbandha-UZR point to the Dikdari bridge in the last fiscal year, but he could not complete the work. He said he will resume work in this fiscal year," Alamgir added.