A disruption has been caused in two upazilas of Habiganj due to the collapse of a Bailey bridge on the main road.
On Friday morning, a stone-laden truck fell through the Bailey bridge over the Ratna River in Baniachong, causing the bridge to collapse. This has led to the suspension of traffic on the crucial Habiganj-Baniachong road.
Banianchong Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mizanur Rahman, confirmed that a recovery vehicle has been brought in to clear the truck. Traffic has been halted since 10 am on Friday, with numerous vehicles stranded, causing significant inconvenience for commuters.
Locals pointed out that the bridge had become unstable due to the weight of frequent vehicles, and despite its dilapidated state, it was still in operation by the Road Transport and Highways Division.
Sahib Ali from Mandari village in Baniachong shared his frustration, saying he was unable to take his sick wife to the Habiganj hospital due to the disruption. He eventually had to return and use the Kaga Pasha road.
Faruk Mia, a bus passenger traveling from Dhaka, mentioned that he had to take a detour of nearly 20 kilometers due to the bridge collapse. He added that the residents of both Ajmiriganj and Baniachong had been demanding the construction of permanent bridges for years, but former MP Majid Khan had not taken any action.
Many pedestrians were seen crossing the river using boats after the bridge collapse. Businessman Sharif mentioned that the collapse of the bridge had caused serious trouble for traders in Ajmiriganj and Baniachong.
Road Transport and Highways Division Executive Engineer Zakir Hossain stated that the truck, which was carrying stones, got stuck on the bridge at around 8 am on Friday. This caused five of the bridge’s breakers and two transoms to be damaged.
A recovery vehicle has already been deployed, and efforts to remove the truck and start repairs are underway, he said. He assured that the repairs would begin by Friday night.
