Incomplete bridge in Narail brings hardships to locals

The incomplete structure of a bridge stands on both banks of the Nabaganga River. Construction of the bridge at Fedi Bazar Ghat in Narail has been stalled for a long time, causing immense hardship for over a hundred thousand people living on both sides.

The Nabaganga River serves as a major barrier to direct connectivity between Narail Sadar and Lohagara Upazila. Every day, more than a hundred thousand residents from five unions in Lohagara Upazila must travel to the district headquarters for various urgent needs.

In the absence of a proper bridge, those who suffer the most include critically ill patients, students, and local small and medium-scale business owners. Local residents are left waiting, wondering when the construction will finally be completed.


The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has since taken fresh initiatives to complete the bridge. The LGED has cancelled the contract with the Jashore-based construction firm, ICL, due to their failure to meet deadlines, even after multiple extensions, leaving the project incomplete. Additionally, the firm has been fined Tk. 3.4 million (34 lakh). A new tender process, with an estimated budget of approximately Tk. 50 million (5 crore), has been initiated to finish the remaining work.


According to the LGED, the bridge over the Nabaganga River at Fedi Bazar was planned to establish a direct link between Narail and Lohagara and to alleviate public suffering. The project, with a budget of Tk. 106.5 million (10.65 crore), was awarded to the Jashore-based firm, ICL, in September 2021. Under the terms of the contract, the bridge was scheduled to be fully completed by October 2023.


However, even after the deadline passed, the firm continued to work at a sluggish pace. Despite several extensions, ultimately pushing the deadline to June 2026, the firm managed to complete only 70 percent of the work. Although 30 percent of the project remains unfinished, the firm has already withdrawn approximately Tk. 71 million (7.1 crore).


The failure to open the bridge continues to cause significant distress for patients, students, and business owners alike. For urgent travel to the district headquarters, people are forced to rely on two small boats to cross the river. Every day, thousands of individuals face risks while making this crossing. Opting for alternative routes leads to increased travel time and higher costs. This situation not only risks delays in accessing emergency medical care but also disrupts the daily commute of students and causes financial losses for local business owners.


Sardar Ikramul Kabir, Executive Engineer of the Narail Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), stated, "Strict action has been taken against ICL for failing to complete the work as per the contract, despite being granted multiple extensions. The firm has been fined 3.4 million taka (34 lakh taka), and their contract has been terminated."


He further added, "The process of inviting new tenders to complete the remaining bridge construction is in its final stages. A new contractor will be appointed shortly, and work will resume soon."


Local residents are calling for a new contractor to be swiftly appointed to end their long-standing, immense hardships. The people of Narail hope that, this time, the bridge construction will be completed within the stipulated timeframe, preferably without any further excuses or delays, and opened for public use.

- MJB/NS