SOHRAB HOSSAIN, Patuakhali

At least 242 iron bridges across eight upazilas in Patuakhali are in a dilapidated state and require urgent repairs or reconstruction to ensure safe and uninterrupted commutes for residents.

Locals are facing severe difficulties travelling to different areas within the district due to the poor condition of these bridges, which serve as critical links for transportation. Students of various educational institutions in the affected upazilas are among those most impacted by the situation.

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) constructed these bridges over canals and waterbodies across Patuakhali in the 1990s and early 2000s to improve rural connectivity.

However, years of neglect and lack of maintenance have led to significant deterioration, while some bridges have been damaged from collisions with water vessels.

LGED has identified 242 bridges in the district as risky, including 63 in Bauphal, 56 in Mirzaganj, 42 in Patuakhali Sadar, 35 in Galachipa, and 10 each in Dashmina, Rangabali, Dumki, and Kalapara upazilas. According to LGED, only four of these bridges can be repaired, while the rest require complete replacement.

One example is the bridge over the Lebukhali Bharani canal in Dumki upazila near the Government Habibullah High School. In mid-2021, a sand-laden cargo vessel collided with the bridge, causing a section to collapse and severing direct connectivity between the canal’s two banks. Thousands of residents who depended on the bridge for daily commutes are now forced to cross the canal by boat, which poses significant risks. Despite protests and human chains by locals, no action has been taken to rebuild the structure.

In another instance, the iron bridge over the Khaprabhanga canal in Kalapara upazila collapsed on 2 April 2020 due to tidal pressure, cutting off connectivity for residents of at least 15 villages.

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