Over 25,000 people, including traders, have been suffering due to the collapse of a bamboo bridge over the Chikli river under Taraganj upazila in Rangpur.
As a result, the commuters have to travel an additional four kilometres to reach the upazila town.
People of 12 villages of Alampur Union Parishad are to cross the Chikli river with great difficulty as the bamboo bridge built by the villagers has collapsed recently. To ease the communications over the river, the people of the area have contacted the authority concerned to for a settlers.
Nothing has been done despite appealing to various government departments and public representatives to build a concrete bridge over the river.So the villagers raised fund and built a bridge with bamboo over the river.
A passerby, Abdur Rahman, said, "The people of the area are to spend extra money and time for carrying goods since they are to move through an alternative way every day."
"The bamboo bridge collapsed due to strong current in the river during this monsoon." he added.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the union have apprised the government departments concerned, including the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, of their problem.
Delwar Hossain, chairman, Alampur Union Parishad, said he had already discussed the issue of constructing a bridge with the local MP as well as Upazila Parishad chairman. He said, "Hopefully, the construction of the bridge over the Chikli river will start this year".
Upazila Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department Ahmed Haider Zaman said, "Documents have been sent to Dhaka seeking allocation for construction of the bridge. The work will start after getting funds".
reporter.fe@gmail.com