Hundreds of students and small vehicles and pedestrians are risking their lives through two dilapidated bridges adjacent to Amragachia Bazar and Rajapur Bazar of Sharankhola Upazila of Bagerhat. Major accidents can happen at any time.
According to reliable sources, the cast iron bridge on the canal adjacent to Rajapur Bazar, built around 1992, has broken down in the middle for three years and created ditches at three places. The bridge has collapsed to such an extent that it is no longer passable. However, hundreds of students and pedestrians are risking their lives to travel through this bridge. On the other hand, the canal bridge adjacent to Amragachia Bazar was built around 1985. This bridge is similarly broken in the middle and a big chasm has been created. Commuting through this bridge has caused extreme suffering to the local people.
On May 27 last year, a terrible fire in Rajapur Bazar burnt down 22 shops. The amount of damage is about one and a half million Tk. Due to the dilapidated bridge, even though the fire service team could not leave the bridge, a part of the market was gutted by the fire before they could reach the spot through another route.
Sharankhola upazila Dhansagar UP Chairman Moinul Islam Tipu said that the bridge adjacent to Rajapur Bazar was built about 30 years ago. Dilapidated for three years. On the other hand, the bridge adjacent to Amaragachia Bazar was built about three centuries ago. It has been lying in a dilapidated state for two years. There are government primary schools, secondary schools and madrasas in the area adjacent to the two markets.
Hundreds of students and pedestrians and vans and easybikes are moving at risk. Small vehicle traffic is causing serious problems. The upazila engineering department has been informed several times in this regard. But so far no construction or repair steps have been taken. Recently, temporary traffic arrangements have been made with wooden pavements.
Upazila Engineer Ferdous Alam told Bangladesh Post that the project has been accepted for the renovation of these two bridges. The two bridges will not be rebuilt. However, it will be repaired in a modern way and made suitable for movement.
In 20-25 years there will be no need for construction. That way, the government will not need huge sums of money. Renovation work on the two bridges is planned to begin after June.