People continue to suffer while five collapsed bridges yet to be rebuilt

Thousands of people continue to suffer in Noakhali after at least five bridges collapsed in the last two years, disrupting communication with district and upazila towns, and posing threats of accidents.

At least 30 more bridges are at  risk of collapsing while initiatives to rebuild bridges move at a snail's pace, say residents of Begumganj and Kabirhat upazilas. 

Locals said, taking the suffering of thousands of people into consideration, it is necessary to rebuild the broken bridges and repair the damaged ones as soon as possible.

Daily movement is hampered in the affected areas as important establishments including educational institutions and markets are on both sides of the broken bridges. Vehicles and young children cross these bridges risking accidents.

On 7 May this year, the dilapidated Hasanhat Bridge in Eklashpur union of Begumganj upazila suddenly collapsed while a pick-up van carrying sand was crossing it, leaving the driver and his assistant injured.

With the bridge down, residents of Sharifpur, Newajpur, Eklashpur and Kadirpur were cut off from the district town  of Maijdi and surrounding areas.

Four bridges over Chaparashi Canal in Kabirhat upazila collapsed one and a half years ago. As a result, there is no end to the suffering of the people of three unions, including Char Elahi and Dhansalik.

Md Ikramul Haque, executive engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Noakhali, said, "Most of these bridges are quite old and their lifespan has ended. We gathered information about the bridges which collapsed and are risky, and have informed the higher authorities. We have already got permission to rebuild some bridges and their construction will start gradually."

According to the LGED, most of the riskiest bridges are in Begumganj upazila, Noakhali Sadar upazila, and Hatiya upazila. LGED officials said another list of risky bridges will be prepared after the rainy season ends.

Firingi Bridge near the district town is one of the most vulnerable bridges under threat of collapse. Although the LGED has banned the movement of heavy vehicles over the bridge, lakhs of people, small vehicles as well as heavy goods vehicles, are still moving over it.

Habibur Rahman of Newajpur union, says this bridge is the most convenient path from district sadar to the eastern part of the district. Thousands of small and large vehicles and many people use this bridge every day.

A few days ago, LGED posted two notices on both sides of the bridge regarding the prohibition of large vehicles on the bridge, but the drivers did not obey them at all. When heavy goods vehicles (trucks, covered vans, passenger buses) move across the bridge, the bridge and the shops on both sides shake, he added.

Executive Engineer Md Ikramul Haque said approval for a new bridge to replace Firingi Bridge has already been received and the work is expected to start soon.