Villagers hinge on bamboo bridge in Kaunia

More than 50,000 people from 10 villages in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur have been suffering for years. After the connecting road of a bridge collapsed in the flood waters, they are forced to cross over a shaky bamboo bridge every day.

Local residents said that in 2014, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built this concrete bridge at a cost of 37 lakh 24 thousand taka. However, a few years after its construction, the connecting roads on both sides of the bridge were washed away by the flood waters of the Teesta River.

They said that since the authorities did not carry out any renovation work, the local residents themselves built a temporary bridge of wood and bamboo to keep the communication system running. Since then, thousands of passengers including school and college students, battery-powered auto rickshaws, vans and horse-drawn carriages have been using this risky route every day.

Residents complained that minor accidents often occur on the bridge and that traveling at night has become even more dangerous. They said that they have repeatedly appealed to the local authorities and public representatives for the reconstruction of the bridge and the repair of the connecting road, but only received assurances.

Balapara Union Parishad member Hafizar Rahman said that about 50,000 people from 10 villages depend on this crossing. Therefore, everyone will benefit if the work is done quickly.

UP Chairman Ansar Ali said that multiple proposals have been submitted to the LGED for the construction of a new bridge.

Kaunia Upazila LGED Engineer Md. Moni Rule Islam said that a proposal for the new bridge has already been approved and the feasibility study has been completed.

He said, “The project is now in the design or design preparation stage. I hope the tender will be approved soon and the construction work will start immediately after that.