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20,000 villagers suffer for want of concrete bridge over Atrai

Published : Thursday, 11 February, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 369

GURUDASPUR, NATORE, Feb 10: People and students of 10 villages in Gurudaspur Upazila of the district have been suffering for a concrete bridge over the Atrai River for long.
At present, they are making their communication over a bamboo bridge taking life risk.
The bamboo bridge has been raised at Sabgari Adarsha Bazar point in Biaghat Union of the upazila. Locals have been demanding a metallic bridge on that river point for a long time.
There are about 20,000 people in these 10 villages including Fakir Para, Beelharibari, Hordoma, Sabgari, and Krishnanagar on the east bank of the river. There are school, madrassa and Beelharibari graveyard in that locality.
In the south-west of the river, there are Biaghat, Sabgari, Beeldahar, and Gayne De Nagar villages in addition to secondary school, madrasa, and Sabgari haat.
 About two lakh people on both banks of the river are directly and indirectly depended on that bamboo bridge.
Their regular communications are taking place through this bridge. Besides, locals on the east bank are going to the district town and other areas using it.
At present, the pressure on the bridge has increased at this time of IRRI-Boro farming season.
A visit found the bamboo bridge linking both banks of the Atrai; boats were seen stranded in the middle of the river.
People were also seen crossing the river with commodities.
 A villager, Khokan Maji has taken lease of the ferry ghat. He takes half maund to one maund of paddy from each family to provide them with ferry services for one year.
But others have to pay tolls daily. At present, Tk 10 from a bike, Tk 5 from a bicycle and Tk 2 from a person are being realised as tolls.
Khokan Maji, 40, said, during flood time people are ferried by boat. Now the water in the river has receded, and  ferrying boats are lying idle, he added.
Raising money locally, the 250-metre long bamboo bridge has been raised over the river at a cost of over Tk 1 lakh.
Ex-principal of Durgapr School & College Omar Ali, 62, said, people in the east of the river are suffering mostly in the absence of secondary and higher secondary education institutions.
Students from east bank villages have to go such intuitions in the other end crossing the river through that bridge.
Besides, farmers are facing difficulties in carrying their commodities. If there is a metallic bridge over the river, there will be socio-economic development in both localities, he suggested.
While crossing the bamboo bridge, students of class five of Sabgari Primary School like Raju, Sebak Kumar, Mariam, Akhi and Dipali Rani said, they fear to pass the bridge. "But we have to pass it," they added.
East end inhabitant Riaz Mia said, the bamboo bridge was swinging while he and his carrying wife Rekha Begum were crossing it on their way to house after consulting physician in Beeldaha.
He said, thousands of passengers are crossing the bridge taking life risk and in fear.
Farmer Mokbul Mia said, there is vast Chalan beel in the east of the river.
People in this  locality communicate with other areas using this bridge.
Biaghat Union Chairman Leacturer Md Mozammel Haq said, this locality is deprived of development that is taking place in other areas of the country.
A demand proposal has been submitted to local MP seeking a permanent bridge over the river, he added.
MP Prof Abdul Kuddus said, considering the demand of the village people, the proposal has been included in the development project.
Local people will soon see the light of hope, he gave assurance.









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