Rupganj Correspondent: A severely damaged wooden bridge over the DND Canal in the Mizmiji Mojibbagh area of Siddhirganj, under Ward No. 1 of Narayanganj City Corporation, is putting hundreds of lives at risk every day. The bridge, located in front of the Siddhirganj Power Station, has been in a dangerous condition for the last two years. Most of its wooden planks are either broken or rotten, making it extremely unsafe for pedestrians.
Despite its poor condition, the bridge is still being used daily by school children, the elderly, and hundreds of workers from the nearby Adamjee EPZ. Just a week ago, part of the bridge collapsed on the eastern side, injuring several people. Locals fear that the entire bridge may collapse at any time, which could result in serious injuries or even loss of life.
During a visit on Tuesday afternoon, many women, elderly people, and students were seen crossing the unstable bridge with great difficulty and fear.
This wooden bridge was built during the time of the former Siddhirganj Municipality. It connects several important neighbourhoods including Mizmiji Mojibbagh, Al-Amin Nagar, Mizmiji Purbo Para, and Kadamtoli Uttar Para. Despite its importance, no major repairs or reconstruction have been done for years. During last year’s rainy season, much of the bridge was underwater, causing more damage to the wooden structure.
Locals claim that the Narayanganj City Corporation has not taken any steps to fix the bridge. Instead, community members have collected money from residents several times to carry out temporary repairs. However, these repairs do not last long, and the bridge soon becomes unsafe again.
The bridge is built over a canal that is at least 10-15 feet deep. If the bridge collapses completely, there is a high risk of drowning and serious injuries.
Nearby is the Siddhirganj Power Development Board Secondary School, located inside the power station. Around 1,000 students study there, and many of them live outside the compound. Their parents must take them across the risky bridge every day to attend school.
Adamjee EPZ is also located nearby. During shift change hours – especially between 7 AM and 9 AM, and again from late afternoon to 9 PM – hundreds of workers use the bridge. At school start and finish times, the bridge is also crowded with students.
Amirul Islam, president of the local welfare society, said the bridge has been repaired by the community 7 to 8 times using their own funds, but it becomes dangerous again within days. Mobarak Hossain, another resident, questioned why a proper concrete bridge has not been built here, despite being built in other areas. He said this route is shorter and more convenient for locals, which is why so many people use it.
Shopkeeper Noor Mohammad accused the authorities of ignoring the bridge due to political reasons. He said if the city corporation doesn’t want to repair it, they should at least remove it before it causes a tragedy.
When contacted, Narayanganj City Corporation's Executive Engineer Md. Ismail Chowdhury said there are no plans to repair the wooden bridge. He suggested people use nearby concrete bridges instead.
