Residents of Mubachhari union in Mahalchhari upazila, Khagrachhari, are risking their lives crossing a severely dilapidated bridge that serves as their only link to the upazila headquarters.
Locals say the structure has become so unsafe that pregnant women and emergency patients cannot be transported to hospitals, causing immense hardship for the community.
The small but vital bridge on the Mahalchhari–Singinala road at Kaptai Para connects the upazila town with the entire union. The retaining walls of its approach roads have collapsed due to soil erosion, leaving the bridge barely standing. Plaster from the underside has peeled away, exposing the concrete, while makeshift wooden planks on both sides are the only means for pedestrians and motorbikes to cross. A bypass road built earlier is now submerged under Kaptai Lake, cutting off access for transporting goods.
The road serves not only Mubachhari but also around 30 villages in Rangamati’s Naniarchar upazila, including Korloyachhari, Selonya, and Sabekyong, benefiting an estimated 30–32 thousand people. Locals, including schoolteachers and residents, said only motorbikes and small vehicles can pass, leaving them without a way to bring in goods or move patients during emergencies.
Built about 40 years ago by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the bridge has deteriorated over the past two years due to heavy rains and flooding. Former Khagrachhari Hill District Council chairman Ruiti Karbari described it as crucial for the area and urged immediate reconstruction.
LGED Executive Engineer Tripti Shankar Chakma acknowledged the bridge’s vulnerability, saying flood damage to the approaches made it unsafe. “We faced delays due to design errors, but the final design is now complete and the tender process will begin soon,” he said.