More than 1 lakh people of 20 villages under 3 Unions have been suffering for a long time as Duthti Bridge, which was destroyed by flood in Ulipur of Kurigram, has not been rebuilt even after 3 years. Due to the lack of bridge, the people of the area are not able to move through the winding road, let alone walk. Especially the students and sick patients of that area are in extreme distress. As a result, although there is a road, the people of the eastern bank surrounded by the Brahmaputra River have been cut off from the two upazilas due to the lack of a bridge.
According to upazila engineering department, a 6.50 km road was constructed from Chuniyar bank of Kurigram-Chilmari to Ulipur Azam junction for the convenience of communication with two upazilas of Tabakpur, Dhamsreni and Chilmari upazilas of Ulipur upazila, Thanahat of Raniganj union surrounded by Brahmaputra River. The road and 2 bridges were constructed in 2015 at a cost of Tk 5 crore 90 lakh. In the flood of last year 2019, Amtali Bridge and Chuniyar Par Bridge of Tabakpur Union gave way and the road broke and communication was cut off. Since then, traffic on the road has been closed due to the lack of a bridge.
After visiting the bridge area and talking to the local people, it is known that because the road was paved, the communication system of the people of this area was facilitated with the two upazilas. But due to the collapse of 2 bridges in the flood, the area is again cut off from communication. Villagers volunteered to build bamboo fences on the side of the broken bridge to accommodate only people and bi-cycles. That shield is also now broken and dangerous. Yet people are moving in a limited way risking their lives. But the movement of rickshaws, vans, auto rickshaws or four wheelers is closed. The school and college students of the area are in trouble. Not only that, if someone is sick, the patient has to be taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. Farmers are unable to market their produce.
School teacher Bashir Uddin said, over 1 lakh people of villages including Chuniyar Para, Akand Para, Tamaku Para, Kabiraj Para, Bandar Ghat, Banu Kisamat Para, Hindu Para, Rajarghat, Vishnu Vallabh, Khamar Tabakpur, Paglar Ghat, Barua Tabakpur, Amtali Has suffered from movement.
Abdul Jalil (66) of Vishnu Vallabh village said that after the construction of the road, rickshaws, auto rickshaws, JS and other small and big vehicles were plying. Now everything is closed so it is difficult to travel on foot.
Bakul Mia (54), a truck driver of that village, said that after finishing the duty, I used to leave the truck at the owner's house and come home by auto at night, now I have to walk home.
Najma Begum, a student of Ulipur Government Degree College, said that there is no secondary school or college in our area. Due to the construction of the road, we girls of this area got the opportunity to study in schools and colleges. But due to the collapse of the bridge, our going to college has stopped.
Abdul Khalek (38), an auto driver, said that I was unemployed before and used to drive my family when the road was rough. Now he has a decline in income.
Amtali market trader Akbar Ali said that after the construction of the road, the rural market became crowded. But because of the broken bridge, people do not come to the market like before, business is going down. Former UP member of Tabakpur Union, Manik Mia, expressed his anger over the non-operation of the two bridges.
Tabakpur UP Chairman Mokhleshur Rahman said that people had to suffer for a long time because the road was paved. But due to the collapse of 2 bridges, the people of 20 villages have suffered again. After I was elected, I contacted the MP and the upazila engineer regarding the construction of the bridge.
In this regard, Upazila Pakaushli KKM Sadekul Alam said that the project proposal for the reconstruction of the Amtali Bridge and the renovation of the Chuniyar Par Bridge has been sent to the head office. If project approval and funding is received, the work will be started this year.