A bridge which collapsed when a sand-laden vessel plying on the Kalijira River hit it at the crossing of Barisal-Jhalakati district on Friday has not yet been repaired.
The bridge connects Jagua, Magor and Amirabad areas with Nalchity upazila and Jhalakati district but road communication was disrupted after the collapse.
Locals said the dilapidated iron bridge was also damaged when hit by vessels earlier and was recently repaired temporarily by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).
Mostak Alam Chowdhury, Jagua union chairman, said the vessel that hit the bridge on Friday was travelling from Panchgaon area to Barisal via Nalchity.
Two pedestrians sustained injuries and fell into the river when the bridge collapsed. They were rescued by locals and taken to hospital.
Mostak said the disruption to road communications had forced people to board watercrafts in order to reach their destinations, which caused them more time and money.
Awami League lawmaker of Barisal 5 constituency Zabunnasa Afroz, Jhalakati Police Super Subhash Chandra Saha and LGED officials visited the spot.
Fulkam Badsha, senior assistant engineer of Jhalakati LGED office, said the 200m bridge was constructed 15 years ago at a cost of Tk47 lakh.
Selim Sardar, executive engineer of Jhalakati LGED, said top officials had been asked to take immediate steps for constructing a new bridge.
