NAGESHWARI, KURIGRAM, May 14: A long-standing bridge over Kachua Beel on the Viturbond Nandanpur-Kaliganj Goddarpar rural road in Nageshwari Upazila of Kurigram has remained in a broken and unusable condition for years, causing severe hardship for residents on both sides.
Locals said the damaged structure has disrupted communication between villages, forcing people to take longer alternative routes to reach Nageshwari Upazila town.
The Kachua beel area, spread across Viturbond Nandanpur, remains water-logged in parts throughout the year. While surrounding areas dry up in winter, the central portion of the beel retains water, making movement difficult.
Earlier, residents used to cross the area on foot through knee-deep water. During the monsoon, the route would become completely inaccessible. Considering the importance of the route, a 20-foot temporary bridge was first constructed in 1987. However, it was washed away by floods the following year.
Another similar bridge was built in 2001, but it was also destroyed in the devastating floods of 2006. After that, a wooden bridge was constructed by the Union Parishad at a cost of Tk 50,000 to ease public suffering. Although it initially improved communication, continuous exposure to rain and sun caused the structure to decay over time.
At present, the wooden bridge is in a highly dangerous condition, with broken planks and weakened supports. Locals said pedestrians can cross only with extreme caution, while vehicles cannot use the structure at all. They fear that even foot traffic may soon become impossible.
Residents said the route once served as a shortcut connecting Kaliganj, Kochakata, Kedar and nearby areas to the Nageshwari town. Now, they are forced to take long detours.
Local Union Parishad members, including Abu Hossain, Mojibur Rahman, Rofikul Islam, Zakir Hossain, Hasem Ali and Ramesh, said the bridge has become unsafe for movement. They added that emergency patients, including pregnant women, often suffer due to the poor condition of the road and bridge, as vehicles cannot pass and transport costs for agricultural goods have increased significantly.
Viturbond Union Parishad Chairman Shafiul Alam Shafi said the bridge repeatedly collapses due to strong water currents during the rainy season, as water flows from nearby beels into the Kachua Beel before joining the Dudhkumar River. He said a longer and stronger structure, such as a 40-50 foot girder bridge, is needed.
He added that the Upazila Project Implementation Office has cited a lack of allocation, while the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) said the road is not under its jurisdiction, leaving construction plans stalled despite urgent need.
Upazila Project Implementation Officer Mofakkharul Islam said the existing wooden bridge is about 70 feet long, while relief-funded box culverts are limited to a maximum of 40 feet, making them unsuitable. He suggested that LGED construct a proper girder bridge matching the required length for a permanent solution.
Locals have urged the authorities to take immediate steps to construct a permanent bridge to end decades of suffering.
