NAGESHWARI, KURIGRAM, Aug 12: Passenger bus moving has been suspended for 16 years on Nageshwari-Fulbari Road in Fulbari Upazila of the district.
People of Nageshwari, Fulbari and Bhurungamari upazilas are suffering for lack of communications on the road. They demanded bus service re-opening on this road.
The distance from Nageshwari to Fulbari on the road is 17 kilometre (km), Lalmonirhat 31km and Rangpur Divisional Town is 69km.
Before the construction of Dharla Bridge-2, people of Fulbari would go to the district town for different works on Fulbari-Nageshwari Road via Nageshwari.
In 2008, Uttar Dharla Motor Owners Association launched six buses on the road. Later on, six more buses were launched by Kurigram District Motor Association on the Kurigram-Nagewshwari-Fulbari road.
But most of these buses regretted to go to Fulbari due to lack of expected business profits.
It created a tug of war between Uttar Dharla Motor Owners Association and Kurigram District Motor Association. Later on, Kurigram District Motor Association withdrew their buses.
After few days, Uttar Dharla Motor Owners Association stopped their bus services on the road.
After opening the Dharla Bridge-2, the number of passenger on the road increased.
Many of Nageshwari-Bhurungamari would go to Rangpur and Dhaka on the road via Lalmonirhat Boro Bari.
Pradip. Sourav, Babu, Manik Mia, Mizanur, Nuruzzaman Mia of Nageshwari and Dulal, Mintu, Rahmat and others of Bhurungamari said, "We want this road to be re-opened. It will reduce distance and time."
Swapan Saha, general secretary of Kurogrsm District Bus Minibus and Microbus Owners Association, said, due to lack of adequate passengers, bus owners stopped their bus services on the road.
"After opening of the Dharla Bridge-2, we ran buses for few days as passengers increased. But after breaking of the bailey bridge at the entrance of Lalmonirhat, the bus service was stopped again," he added.
If the broken bridge is fit for communication, the bus service can be opened, he maintained.
