Bridge collapses during concrete casting in Barishal

BARISHAL, July 24: An under-construction bridge worth around Tk 35 lakh collapsed during concrete casting in Gournadi Upazila of the district, raising questions about construction quality and project supervision. 

The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon in Ahmedkathi Village under Khanjapur Union in the upazila. The bridge was being built with funding from the Department of Disaster Management (DDM).

Witnesses said part of the structure collapsed into a canal while workers were pouring concrete during rainfall. A visit to the site on Thursday found nearly half of the bridge lying in the canal. Fresh concrete on the remaining section had also been damaged by rain. Local residents alleged that old and low-quality bamboo was used for the shuttering. They also claimed the supporting platform was weak.

According to the Gournadi Project Implementation Office, the project was awarded to Dynamic IT Shop. The construction work was later subcontracted to contractor Abul Foyez Sharif. The contractor said, “The temporary support structure failed during casting. We will rebuild the shuttering and complete the work again.”

Project Implementation Officer Khokon Chandra Das said the contractor started the concrete casting without informing his office. “We have reported the incident to the higher authorities. An investigation will be conducted,” he said.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Ibrahim said action would be taken if negligence or poor workmanship is found.