People of 4 villages suffer as bridge breaks

Over 10,000 people of four villages of Nilganj union in Kalapara upazila under the district are suffering a lot as the bridge on Ural canal has became unusable after a few wooden sleeppers of it broke under the pressure of a paddy-laden improvised van on Friday.

Seven people received minor injuries due to the accident.

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) constructed the bridge with iron structure and wooden slippers in 1992-93 fiscal year to ease communication from Uttar Nilganj, Faridganj, Naubhanga and Nilganj villages to Kalapara upazila headquarters.

Hundreds of students of different educational institutions including Faridganj High school, Faridganj Government Primary School and Naubhanga Senior Madrasa in the upazila town also used it regularly. 

The bridge was damaged during super cyclone Sidr in 2007 and Kalapara upazila administration repaired it three years ago at a cost of Tk one lakh, local union parishad sources said.

Samia and Ety Moni, both students of Faridganj High School, said they have to cover additional four kilometres to go to school after the bridge broke.

A large number of vegetable growers of Nilganj union are facing problem to carry their produces to Kalapara upazila town for sale, said Shamsul Haque Gazi, a local vegetable grower.

Abdul Maleque Khan, chairman of Nilganj union parishad, said, "We will try to repair the bridge as soon as possible as it has great importance. We will raise the issue in the upcoming monthly meeting of the upazila development committee to solve the problem."