Thousands suffer for want of concrete bridge

Residents of eight villages under Jhenidah Sadar upazila are suffering a lot due to lack of a concrete bridge over the Nabaganga River at Udoypur point.

Locals said over 25,000 people of Madhukhli, Baroikhali, Estagapur, Baliadanga, Kongsi, Chapri, Bhabotipur and Porahati villages are affected all the year round because of absence of a permanent bridge.

During rainy season, students cannot attend school regularly and traders and farmers cannot take their products to Jhenidah town.

Villagers erected a bamboo bridge on self-help basis at Udoypur point to cross the river. If the bridge breaks down, they will have to walk eight kilometers more to go to Jhenidah.

Mohammad Ali of Udoypur village said a concrete bridge should be built immediately to ease the suffering of the villagers.  The farmers are incurring huge loss financially as they cannot take their products to the district town, he added. 

Shahidul Islam of Baroikhali village said the Nabaganga flows through Udoypur and Baroikhali villages. In the rainy season the bamboo bridge cannot cope with the strong flow of the river and people of the eight villages have to cross the river by rafts.

Around 200 students cannot go to school in Jhenidah town regularly during the rainy season as the river marks a sharp rise.

Rakibul Alam, chief engineer of Jhenidah LGED, said he will write to the authorities concerned soon to erect a concrete bridge there to mitigate the suffering of the people of the eight villages.