Shawdesh Desk: A narrow 40-year-old bridge at Chengakandi in Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj has turned into the source of agony for commuters.

This bridge, now old, rickety and risky, was constructed over a small canal that has long been filled up in Pirojpur union. Accidents occur regularly on the bridge due to its dilapidated condition.

The bridge is located just beside the road leading to Chengakandi, Mridhakandi, Nagergaon and Chohissa villages of Pirojpur union on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. It sticks out like a sore thumb.
On one side under the bridge is the boundary wall of Sony SR Company while a sawmill’s road occupies the other side. From the lowland left unoccupied, one can hardly say a canal or a stream ever existed here. No water reaches the canal from high tide even during the monsoon.

The bridge is so narrow that only one rickshaw can cross it at a time. When one rickshaw enters the bridge, the rickshaw at the other end must wait. As a result, quarrels and brawls often break out.

Sometimes pedestrians are injured by rickshaws and motorcycles crossing the bridge. Passengers on rickshaws also get hurt when the rickshaw falls into the ditch through the broken railings.

Locals, who spoke to the correspondent, said the bridge is not needed anymore, and suggested building a road in its stead to facilitate smooth commuting.

“The bridge was built almost 40 years ago for pedestrians. As the roads improved, people started crossing the bridge on vehicles,” said Nowab Prodhan, a resident of Chengakandi village.

“No step has been taken even after we approached the ward member and union parishad chairman numerous times to tear down the bridge and build a road,” he said.
Nuruzzaman Nuru, member of ward number 5, said Chairman Masudur Rahman Masum is aware of the situation and accused him of not doing anything.

Pirojpur Union Parishad Chairman Masum could not be reached for comments.