A badly subsided bridge over a branch canal of the Brahmaputra River in Rowmari Upazila of Kurigram has remained unusable for nearly two decades, forcing around 50,000 people from 15 villages to depend on a fragile wooden footbridge for daily travel.
The bridge, located over a branch canal of the Brahmaputra River in Kauniar Char under Dantbhanga Union, collapsed during flooding about 20 years ago and has never been rebuilt. Since then, residents have crossed the canal using a wooden structure built over the subsided bridge.
The makeshift crossing has become increasingly unstable due to heavy use. It is repaired periodically by either the local administration or residents, but remains unsafe.
A recent visit found pedestrians crossing the swaying wooden footbridge, which serves residents of Char Kauniar Char, Char Goytapara, Parer Char, Gachhbari, Italukanda, Bheramara, Dikrir Char, Anandabazar, Laubari Hat, Shadimari, Bangla Bazar Hat and Saheber Alga, among other areas.
The crossing is also used by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel travelling to the Saheber Alga border outpost. Locals said the unstable structure often prevents BGB members from reaching the border promptly during emergencies.
Residents said the poor crossing has severely affected farmers, students and patients. Agricultural produce cannot be transported by vehicle, forcing farmers to carry crops manually to markets. Students frequently arrive late for school, while critically ill patients and pregnant women face serious difficulties reaching hospitals.
Azizur Rahman, a resident of Char Kauniar Char, said a bamboo bridge existed at the site after independence before a government bridge was built. It was overturned in floods about two decades ago and has remained abandoned ever since.
Farmer Amir Mia said vehicles could not cross the damaged wooden bridge, forcing him to carry produce on his head to market. He added that traders paid lower prices because they had to transport goods over longer routes.
Secondary school student Zakiya Akter said motorcycles or empty vans could cross only one at a time, forcing others to wait and causing students to miss classes.
Local union parishad member Abu Sayeed said repeated efforts to have the bridge rebuilt had yielded no results. He said schoolchildren, farmers and BGB personnel were among those suffering most and urged the authorities to reconstruct the bridge without delay.
Rowmari Upazila Engineer Saurav Kumar Saha said a proposal for constructing a permanent bridge had been sent to higher authorities. Work would begin in accordance with procedures once approval was granted.
