S DILIP ROY

The much-anticipated Joyantipur bridge over the Karatoa River has remained incomplete eight years after work began, leaving nearly 8 lakh people across four upazilas grappling with daily transport hardship.

The 294-metre-long and 9.8-metre-wide bridge was intended to connect Pirganj upazila in Rangpur with Nawabganj, Birampur and Hakimpur in Dinajpur, ensuring direct communication between the regions.

However, prolonged delays have kept the project in limbo, frustrating residents who now face another monsoon without relief.

According to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the initiative was first taken in 2015, but administrative hurdles, tender delays and contractor-related complications slowed progress from the outset.

Construction formally began in 2018 under a firm named PPL, with an estimated cost of Tk 29.48 crore. The work came to a halt in 2023 following the contractor’s death and ensuing management issues.

After a prolonged pause, LGED retendered the project in 2024, awarding the remaining work to AK-SBM (JV) at a cost of Tk 22.24 crore. The revised deadline was set for March 2026, but that timeline has already passed with the project still unfinished.

Pirganj Upazila Engineer Asaduzzaman Bappi said the new contractor has submitted a letter seeking time until December this year. The higher authorities are considering an extension of the deadline.

Officials say around 60 to 65 percent of the bridge work has been completed. However, approach roads on both sides are yet to be constructed, while only limited work on girders and slab casting is currently underway.

In the absence of the bridge, residents continue to cross the river at considerable risk. During the dry season, a bamboo footbridge serves as a makeshift crossing, while small boats are the only option during the monsoon. Commuters, including students, patients and traders, are forced to endure long and costly detours.

Although the direct distance between Pirganj and Nawabganj is about 18 kilometres, people now travel nearly 55 kilometres using alternative routes, increasing both travel time and expenses. Transporting goods or accessing emergency services has become particularly difficult.

“Movement of ordinary people, including school and college students, has become very difficult. It is not possible to reach destinations on time. The bridge work should be completed quickly,” said farmer Zahir Ali of Sodpur village.

College teacher Abchar Ali echoed the concern, saying, “We have to use an alternative route to travel to Rangpur. This increases both time and cost. We are suffering due to the delay in the work.”