The government’s different development initiatives in Kishoreganj including an all-weather 30-kilometre road is transforming the lives of the haor people in the district with new jobs and income-generating activities besides traditional paddy cultivation and fishing.
The socio-economic condition of the local people is gradually uplifting with the rise in their incomes thanks to the improved communication system.
By rode connectivity to further improve in the haor region as the government is building a new bridge to connect Catolpara to Bangalpara in Austragram upazila of Kishoreganj district.
The under construction bridge on the river Meghna at a cost of Tk177 crore 23 Lakh is being built under the supervision of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.
Visiting the area, Bangladesh Correspondent witnessed massive ongoing construction work including piling in the river there.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on October 2020 formally opened the amazing Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram all-weather road in Kishoreganj to traffic.
The road was constructed at a cost of Tk 874.08 crore, which connects three upazilas of Kishoreganj -- Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram.
The Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road goes straight through a vast haor area in parallel with Dhanu and Baulai rivers starting from Itna Upazila Sadar to Austagram via Mithamoin Upazila.
The road has already been turned as one of the most beautiful destinations for travellers, holidaymakers and thrill-seekers before its formal inauguration.
A huge number of tourists visit the road regularly to enjoy its scenic beauty and the surrounding haor areas.
The road, popularly known as the ‘Haor Road’, paved the way for direct road connectivity between the haor region and other parts of the country, including Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram.
But Haor people say that the scenic Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road often submerged into the water during the rainy season. They have to rely on boat for the transportation during the time.
Locals hope that the under construction bridge will ease this suffering and will create direct by rode connectivity between the Noagaon area in Austragram upazila of Kishoreganj and Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district.
Haor people expressed hope that, once complete, the bridge will impact directly on local economy specially in agricultural and tourism sectors.
Local farmers Abdul Maleque said that people will get more benefits after the construction of the bridge that will facilitate fast transportation of goods, agricultural products and fishery resources throughout the year.
Kishoreganj district LGRD chief engineer Amirul Islam said that the haor area is familiar for huge production of food items and fish. Country’s economy will be benefitted after the competition of the bridge.
He however hopes that the construction work of the bridge will end by October 2025.
Almost half the Kishoreganj district, including four of its six Upazilas - Itna, Mithamoin, Oshtogram, and Nikli - is designated as a complete haor area: unique wetland ecosystems that during the monsoon resemble vast inland seas.