Potato-laden truck falls as Bailey Bridge collapses

A truck loaded with potatoes fell into a canal after a Bailey bridge collapsed in Mathbaria Upazila of Pirojpur district while the vehicle was crossing it.

The accident occurred at around 3:00 am on Wednesday (June 10) at Safar Debipur on the Mathbaria-Patharghata road.

No casualties were reported in the incident.
The truck driver and his assistant have been missing since the accident.

The collapsed Bailey bridge was one of the main communication links for residents of Debipur and several surrounding areas, causing immense suffering to local people.

Travel time and transportation costs have increased as commuters are now forced to use alternative routes.

Motorcycle riders, auto-rickshaw drivers, pickup van operators and numerous pedestrians are facing significant difficulties.

According to local sources, the truck, carrying potatoes from Dhaka, reached Debipur at around 3:00 am on Wednesday.
The bridge suddenly collapsed while the truck was crossing it.
Traffic on the road came to a complete halt following the incident.

Mathbaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Aklima Akhter said the collapsed Bailey bridge on the Mathbaria-Patharghata road had a load capacity of 20 metric tons.

“However, the load carried by the potato-laden truck appears to have exceeded the bridge’s capacity, which may have caused the collapse,” she said.

“I have informed the Roads and Highways Department authorities about the matter,” the UNO added.
Muhammad Russell, Executive Engineer of the Pirojpur Roads and Highways Department, said they have contacted the higher authorities regarding the collapse of the bridge.
“Efforts are underway to recover the truck as quickly as possible and restore normal traffic movement,” he added.