The agony bridge at Sakwa

Ordeals from mindless work...the partly dismantled Sakwa bridge (left), people carrying goods on heads and pushing a loaded rickshaw onto the Narsunda riverbank (right). PHOTO: STAR

To carry goods or a patient in a rickshaw, at least 10 people are needed. They pull it from back with all strength when it slowly lands in the riverbed and then pushes it from behind to take it onto the bank.

Thousands of people in the area suffer as the old bridge at Sakwa, about 10 kilometres from Kishoreganj town, has been demolished for construction of a new one without building a diversion road.

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The bridge is on the Chamra-Kishoreganj road, which is the only way to Itna, Mithamoin and Austogram upazilas in haor areas. The old bridge was dismantled on February 25 by a Roads and Highways (R&H) contractor who is supposed to build the new bridge.

Following resentment and appeals by people, the contractor has finally started building the diversion road but the question remains whether it will be completed before the monsoon.

This correspondent during a recent visit saw farmers with goods or fertiliser on rickshaws having tough time crossing the dried up river.

Roads and Highways (R&H) Assistant Engineer Uttam Kumar said the bridge will be constructed at a cost of Tk 3 crore 8 lakh and the work will be completed by December next year.

The bridge construction was scheduled to begin in December last year.

The R&H engineer however could not say anything why a diversion road was not built before demolition of the old bridge.