Tk10 Crore Bridge Built With No Approach Roads
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A bridge over the Brahmaputra River was a long-standing demand for the residents of Monohardi upazila in Narsingdi and Kapasia upazila in Gazipur. The bridge was eventually constructed at a cost of Tk100 million (10 crore Taka).
Although the construction of the bridge was completed three years ago, the highly anticipated structure has yet to open for traffic. The reason: there are no approach roads on either side. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people on both banks continue to suffer.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) constructed the bridge in 2022. It was built over the Brahmaputra River, positioned between Ashadnagar village in Monohardi upazila and Sangua village in Kapasia upazila. However, since the work on the approach roads remains incomplete, the bridge has been of no use to the public so far.
Currently, thousands of people—including women, children, students, and patients—are forced to risk crossing the river on boats by pulling on ropes. Minor and major accidents occur frequently, and the suffering intensifies during the monsoon season.
Abdul Awal, a resident of Bagua village in Kapasia, remarked, "The construction of the bridge was finished nearly three years ago. But because there are no roads on either side, people's suffering hasn't eased. Despite millions of Taka being spent, the bridge is still of absolutely no use."
Sajedul Haque, an SSC candidate from Sangua Multipurpose High School, highlighted the necessity of the bridge. "This bridge is very important for the people of Monohardi and Kapasia. Many students from the other side study at our school. But since the road work isn't finished, we still have to commute with great difficulty," Sajedul said, demanding that the approach roads be completed swiftly to open the bridge.
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Md. Jalal Uddin, from Ashadnagar village in Monohardi upazila, expressed deep frustration over the bridge remaining non-functional three years after its construction. "I am getting old, and a boatman isn't always available. It is very difficult to cross the river in a boat by pulling on a rope. A slight bit of carelessness leads to accidents. What is the point of building such a massive bridge if people cannot even use it?" Jalal Uddin questioned.
This frustration is shared not just by Jalal, but by all residents living on both banks in Monohardi and Kapasia. They have been consistently demanding that the approach roads be finished quickly to open the bridge to the public.
Monohardi Upazila Engineer Harashit Kumar Saha said the bridge could not be opened over the past three years due to various complications. "Land-related complications arose regarding the construction of the approach roads. The final plan for the new road construction has also not been completed yet. A revised proposal has been sent regarding this matter. The remaining work will be completed quickly to make the bridge usable for traffic," Harashit Kumar Saha added.
