Dilapidated bridge forces Lalmonirhat residents to risk life daily

The bridge built over the Ratnanai River at Kalirhat on the Durgapur-Bhelabari road, Lalmonirhat, shakes violently when transports pass. UNB

Lalmonirhat, Dec 12 - A worn-out bridge in Lalmonirhat has become a daily nightmare for more than 30,000 residents, who continue to cross it despite the looming threat of a major accident. 

The decades-old structure, long past its lifespan, shakes violently under the weight of passing vehicles, raising fears that it may collapse at any moment.

Built in the 1980s, the bridge over the Ratnanai River at Kalirhat on the Durgapur-Bhelabari road has stood without any major repair work for years. 

Although its railings and pillars have already crumbled, hundreds of vehicles still cross it every day, taking severe risks. 

Plaster regularly falls off when vehicles move over it, and when one vehicle climbs onto the bridge, others must wait on either side for it to pass.

The bridge is the only route connecting Durgapur Union, an agriculture-dependent, border-adjacent area of Aditmari Upazila, to the upazila and district towns, according to locals. 

For the area’s 30,000 to 35,000 people, they said, this route is essential for transporting rice, paddy, maize, vegetables and other daily necessities. 

But for many, crossing the damaged bridge has already come at a devastating cost-- several people have suffered accidents leading to life-long disability.

The local people say the bridge has effectively become a 'death trap', and they have long been demanding its reconstruction. 

Farmers, traders and pedestrians from all walks of life have expressed frustration that the bridge has not yet been replaced.

Md Sohrab Hossain, Acting Chairman of Durgapur Union Parishad, Aditmari, Lalmonirhat, said,

“The survey and soil test of the dilapidated bridge have already been completed. The design work is underway, and the tender process will begin soon so that reconstruction can start quickly.”

Md Kawshar Alam, Executive Engineer, LGED, Lalmonirhat, echoed the assurance that the process is moving forward, raising hopes that the long-awaited new bridge will finally take shape.

For now, however, thousands continue to cross the shaky structure daily—each trip a gamble with fate, each journey marked by uncertainty. - UNB