A link bridge built at a cost of nearly Tk4 crore on the Baishkura–Tetultola road in Mathbaria Upazila remains incomplete five years after work began, leaving thousands of residents in seven to eight villages facing daily hardship.
The 37-metre bridge over the Baishkura canal was scheduled to be completed within one year, but construction has stalled since 2021, forcing people to travel an additional 8 to 10 kilometres by alternative routes.
The project, funded by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), was awarded to contractor TN and ASI Limited.
Under the contract, work was due to start in December 2020 and finish by December 2021.
Five years on, the bridge remains unfinished, disrupting movement for hundreds of vehicles and affecting residents of several unions who rely on the road for transport, trade and emergency services.
A temporary wooden footbridge erected for crossing is described by locals as highly risky, with children and elderly residents reportedly injured after falling while trying to pass.
Local resident Solaiman Majhi said villagers have endured severe suffering for years as vehicles cannot enter the area.
He said residents must travel 8 to 10 kilometres out of the way, increasing both time and transport costs.
He added that even transporting bodies for burial has become extremely difficult due to the lack of access.
“We are drawing the attention of the authorities to resolve the problem quickly and ease the suffering of thousands who depend on this road,” he said.
Mathbaria Upazila LGED Engineer Md Ziarul Islam said the project was delayed due to complications that slowed the start of work.
He said the department contacted the contractor to complete the project but received no response.
He added that a re-tendering process is now under way.
According to information provided by the upazila LGED office, Tk3,61,61,586 was allocated for the bridge construction.
Residents have demanded that the Baishkura–Tetultola link bridge be completed without further delay to restore normal communication and reduce mounting losses.
