It has been almost 43 years since the inhabitants of Matlab Uttar and Matlab Dakkhin upazilas of Chandpur were assured that a bridge would be constructed over the Dhonagoda River, a tributary of the Meghna River, but locals continue to be frustrated as they have yet to see such a bridge.
Taking advantage of the issue, many political leaders became Members of Parliament as well as ministers, yet the local people’s demand for a bridge over the river still remains unfulfilled.
Locals said in absence of a bridge, hundreds of vehicles and thousands of people have to cross the river using a ferry. Sometimes, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority ferry stops working in the middle of the river, causing immense suffering of the local people.
They said ahead of every election, candidates from different parties assure locals that he/she would take measures to build the bridge, but after election, they do not keep their commitments.
It is quite strange that two MPs have separately already laid foundation stones for the bridge, without the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Eenec).
Local people said if the bridge was constructed over the river, the sufferings of Chandpur, Shariatpur, Lakshmipur and Noakhali would be eased to a great extent as distance from the district to Dhaka would be reduced by about 40km.
Hedayet Ullah, a resident of Uttar Motlab, said he had to visit Comilla every day for business purposes and faced various hassles, including the need to change his mode of transport several times while heading to the neighbouring district.
“For the last couple of decades, residents of the two upazilas have been demanding the construction of the bridge, but no fruitful measures have been taken to fulfill the long-desired demand of people,” he said.
Minara Akter, a resident of Homna upazila in Comilla, said the traffic pressure on the Comilla-Dhaka Highway would be reduced if the bridge was constructed.
“Centering construction of the bridge, political leaders have been playing with the sentiment of local residents,” she said.
Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, a minister of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, first pledged the construction of the bridge.
Shamsul Haque, a minister of Ershad’s government, also promised to construct the bridge, but obviously he failed to do so as well.
In 1991, Nurul Haque became a minister of the locality from the BNP-led four party alliance, but did not make any attempt to construct the bridge.
In 1996, Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, became a member of the parliament and afterwards a minister, and laid the foundation stones for the bridge without approval from Ecnec.
The 304-meter-long and eight meter wide bridge project, estimated to cost Tk15.47 lakh, was placed with Ecnec by Chandpur Roads and Highway Department in the fiscal year 2005-2006, but Ecnec did not approve the work.
Later, in 2009, when the Awami League-led government assumed office, they showed interest in the project.
After becoming Disaster Management and Relief Minister, Mofaazel Hossain Chowdhury Maya assured locals that he would take immediate initiatives so that the higher authority would take steps to build the bridge.
Sources at Roads and Highway Department said a development project proposal was submitted to the Planning Commission in 2012.
The sources also said after scrutiny, the project proposal would be placed before an Ecnec meeting this month.
If the financial watchdog gave their nod, the foundation stones for the bridge would be laid down very soon, the sources hoped.
Sub-Divisional Engineer of Roads and Highway Department Shahrul Amin told the Dhaka Tribune that the project, costing Tk84 crore, would start in September this year.
He expressed hopes that the bridge construction work would be complete by June, 2017.