’It’s a big risk. Come and go with Jan’s hand. I will read Ida Dhaisya any time. I went in the morning, doubt whether I can come in the afternoon. As time passes, it breaks. I don’t think I will stay on the bridge after two or three days. A few days ago, the sack was running away, there is no work, because it has given so much support.’
Male Gani, manager of Fatehpur East CNG station, said, ‘Two months ago when the sacks were palani ai (throw away), we were not doing it. They are not listening to us. Now everything is gone, hunchi 43 lakh teka (Taka) has been spent, e-teka is all gone.’
This is how locals were talking about the cost of Tk 43 lakh on the approach road of Fatepur bridge on Sunamganj-Tahirpur road. Fatehpur Bridge is used to connect hundreds of villages of Jamalganj, Tahirpur, Sunamganj Sadar and Biswambharpur.
It is known that Sunamganj Roads and Public Ways Department had allocated Tk 43 lakhs to prevent the bridge from collapsing. However, there has been anger among the locals due to not working properly. Even if 43 lakh rupees of coins were laid out, both sides of the bridge would have been fixed. Many are also commenting.
Almost all of the approaches on both sides of the bridge are broken and only a small part is connected to the bridge. Locals fear that the rest of the bridge will collapse if it rains a little.
CNG autorickshaws are not allowed to pass through the bridge. Common people on motorcycles and on foot were seen crossing the bridge at risk. However, the two faces of the bridge broke and took a terrible shape. The authorities concerned did not draw any warning or caution on any part.
Abdun Noor, a member of Ward No. 5 of Fatepur Union and a resident of Alipur village, said that the approach part of this bridge has been damaged for a year. At first it was small. Then gradually grew. Sauz tried to block it by throwing sacks but it didn’t work. Now it has gone from terrible to worse. Accidents can happen if you don’t act quickly.
Ashraful Islam Prang, executive engineer of Sunamganj Soaz said, now they will build bailey sheds on both sides of the bridge. The reason is that the collapse area is very deep. So if you work with a pole or something here, it will not last. When the water recedes, protective work will be done by piling RCC.
The executive engineer claimed that there was no unplanned work. He said that geobag filling was done here at a cost of Tk 43 lakh before last June. But due to the depth of the water, it did not last. Meanwhile, the front part of the bridge has suffered further damage due to flooding.
Mahmudul Hasan, sub-divisional engineer of Sauz, said that the work was done on a temporary basis in this part. The flood has caused great damage.
