The much desired bridge, built over the Noljur river under Jogonnathpur upazila of Sunamganj couldn't be made ready for use only due to unusual delay for construction of its western approach.
Thousands of locals had been in great sufferings as the bridge, connecting 3 unions with the upazila town couldn't be ready for use even over four years after its construction for delay in acquisition of land for the said approach, sources alleged.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) constructed the 149 meter long bridge at a cost of Tk 114.7 million in 2013.
State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan inaugurated the bridge on November 23, 2013.
As the authority was about to start work on the approach, a man filed a case over the concerned land's ownership, causing suspension in its works, an official informed.
The official however said the acquisition process got stumbled due to the litigation, but things couldn't be resolved in four and a half years even.
A number of locals said inhabitants of 20 villages under the Raniganj, Pailgaon and Asharkandi unions have to use the road and the bridge to reach the Jogonnathopur upazila town.
They can join the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway at Begumpur, several kilometer from the bridge point.
But, presently only the autorickshaws and motor bikes can ply through the temporary diversion but microbus, truck and other vehicles cannot.
The commoners' plight goes extreme during the monsoon.
Even on repeated endeavours with the authorities, the local leaders failed to make any result to resolving the trouble over delay in acquisition process as well as starting approach works, a number of locals like Rezaul Karim said.
The locals urged the authority concerned for taking steps to start works on the western approach of important road as soon as possible.
