For residents of eight villages in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj, crossing the Phuljan River is a daily struggle that can become a matter of life and death.
With no bridge at the Bishnupur boat landing, around 40,000 people rely on makeshift bamboo crossings during the dry season and boats when water levels rise.
The lack of a permanent crossing disrupts agricultural transport, students’ journeys to educational institutions and access to emergency medical care.
Pregnant women and critically ill patients face particular difficulties.
Residents say a bridge at the Bishnupur boat landing in Nalqa Union would ease the suffering of people in Bishnupur, Faridpur, Angar, Teghari, Bank Nai, Gangarampur, Bashuria and Atgharia villages.
Poppy Rani Das, a young woman from Daspara village, said residents depended on boats or makeshift bamboo crossings to reach the other side.
“Students face difficulties travelling to schools and colleges every day. The situation becomes particularly desperate when a pregnant woman goes into labour or a patient needs to be taken to hospital. Delays in getting medical attention could lead to serious consequences. A bridge here would make our lives much easier,” she said.
Saiful Islam Surjo of Bishnupur, who has helped people cross the river for years, said transporting paddy, vegetables and other produce to markets was also difficult.
Crossing by boat increased costs and travel time and sometimes risked spoilage.
“A bridge would benefit farmers, students, traders and people from all walks of life,” he said.
Local union parishad member Anichar said residents had repeatedly raised the demand with the authorities, but no permanent solution had been found.
Women, children and elderly people suffered the most, he added, urging the government to build a bridge.
For Palash, the absence of a bridge has brought an irreparable personal loss.
He said his pregnant wife fell seriously ill at around 11pm on 6 October last year.
He took her from Bishnupur village to the boat landing to get her to hospital, but no boat was available.
Despite his efforts, he could not get her medical attention in time, and she died.
“I cannot explain the pain I have suffered. I lost my wife because there was no boat. I do not want another husband to lose his wife or another family to face such a tragedy. I sincerely urge the government to build a bridge here,” he said.
Md Shohag Rana, sub-assistant engineer at the Raiganj upazila engineering office, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the office had not been aware of the issue.
“We will visit the site and investigate the matter. An application has already been submitted for a bridge within 200 metres of the area,” he said.
Md Rezaur Rohman, executive engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department’s Sirajganj office, also said they had not been aware of the problem.
He promised to look into the matter quickly and take necessary steps.
Residents say the lack of a bridge has held back education, agriculture, healthcare and economic activities.
They hope the authorities will inspect the site and take effective steps to build a permanent crossing.
