A 25-year-old RCC girder bridge over the Heutnagar canal in Kalerpara Union of Dhunat upazila, Bogra, collapsed on Monday morning, disrupting road communication and causing hardship for thousands of residents in the area.
The bridge on the Heutnagar–Nimgachhi road reportedly collapsed following days of heavy rainfall and increased water flow through the canal. As a result, the main road link used by residents of five villages in Kalerpara and Nimgachhi unions has been cut off.
Kalerpara Union Chairman Sajjad Hossain Shipon said the 15-metre-long bridge was built in 2001 under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) at a cost of around Tk 700,000.
"The bridge had become vulnerable due to continuous water flow beneath it. Although the matter was brought to the attention of the Dhunat Upazila engineering office several times, no effective repair work was undertaken," he said.
According to locals, heavy rain began across Dhunat on Sunday afternoon, causing a strong current in the canal. The water eroded the soil beneath the bridge and at both ends of the road approaches. Around 8:00 am on Monday, the bridge tilted, separated from the road and eventually collapsed.
Following the collapse, all vehicular movement on the Heutnagar–Nimgachhi road was suspended.
Saidur Rahman, a businessman from Heutnagar village, said the road serves as an important link to the Dhunat–Bogra highway and is used daily by residents of Heutnagar, Kodlapara, Ramnagar, Ishgarghat and Nimgachhi villages.
"Thousands of people are now facing serious difficulties due to the disruption of communication," he said.
Mizanur Rahman, an autorickshaw driver, said residents are now forced to use longer alternative routes, increasing both travel time and transport costs.
He urged the authorities to rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.
Dhunat Upazila Engineer Bakhtiar Hossain said the bridge had long been considered unsafe, but renovation could not be carried out due to a lack of funds.
"A proposal has already been submitted to the concerned authorities for the construction of a modern bridge at the site," he said.
Dhunat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Arifullah Nizami said temporary arrangements are being made to facilitate movement by constructing a bamboo bridge for motorcycles and other small vehicles.
He added that a new bridge or culvert would be built at the site through an LGED tender process in the near future.