SATHIA, PABNA, May 8: A bridge over the Sutikhali River in Vitapara Village under Nagdemra Union of Sathia Upazila in Pabna, initiated nearly a decade ago through local funding, remains incomplete, leaving residents facing severe difficulties in daily life.
Locals say the construction of the bridge began in 2016 with contributions collected from villagers under the initiative of former Union Parishad member Sarwar Hossain.
The proposed 120-foot (around 37-metre) bridge was meant to connect Vitapara with key agricultural land and the local cemetery located across the river. However, the work was halted midway due to a lack of funds.
Now, parts of the unfinished structure show visible deterioration, with cracks in pillars, exposed reinforcement rods and damaged concrete surfaces due to long-term exposure.
Residents say the absence of a bridge has made burial rituals, movement of people and transportation of agricultural goods extremely difficult. During the dry season, when water levels drop, the hardship increases further as even boat movement becomes challenging.
"Without a bridge, we have to carry dead bodies by boat to the cemetery across the river. It becomes extremely difficult," said local resident Moajjem Hossain.
Another villager, Dudu Pramanik, said completion of the bridge would significantly improve agricultural activities and communication between both sides of the river.
Sakhina Khatun, a resident of Vitapara South, said most families in the area depend on farming, but lack of road and bridge connectivity makes it difficult to transport crops and access farmland across the river.
Former Union Parishad member Sarwar Hossain said the bridge project was started with public donations to ease long-standing suffering, but could not be completed due to financial constraints.
Nagdemra Union Parishad Chairman Hafizur Rahman said residents continue to suffer due to the absence of the bridge, especially in carrying out burial-related activities and daily transportation. He urged authorities to consider completing the bridge or constructing a new one on humanitarian grounds.
Sathia Upazila LGED Engineer Johurul Islam said the bridge was initiated by locals on a road not yet included in the LGED inventory. "We have applied to include the road in the LGED list. Once approved, necessary steps will be taken to construct the bridge," he said.
Locals have urged the government to intervene urgently to complete the long-stalled project and end years of suffering in the riverine community.
