More than 75,000 people in Bashgari union under Kalkini upazila in the district have been suffering for long for want of a bridge over the Kachikata Canal beside the Arial Khan River.
Sources said people of Kachikata, Vatobali, Char Vatobali, Roypur Surjomoni, Snanghata, Soshirchar, and Chowdhurichar areas cross the canal through the bamboo bridge everyday and go to Bashgari and Lakshmipur unions as well as Kalkini upazila headquarters.
Villagers Abul Kashem, Mawlana Al-Amin and others said, in absence of a bridge over the canal, many people including businessmen are facing setback while communicating for their business purposes.
Lakshmipur UP Chairman Fazlul Bepari: “ If the bridge is constructed over the canal, it will bring benefits for the people of Madaripur and Shariatpur by connecting the two districts.”
Abdullah Al Mamun, local Awami League leader of Bashgari union said if there was a bridge on the canal, the people in the area run their business smoothly.
Advocate Abdullah Al-Mamun, chairman of the Managing Committee of Kachikata Islamia Dakhil Madrasha, said people including madrasha and school students cross the canal through the bamboo bridge everyday and go to Bashgari and Laximipur unions as well as Kalkini upazila risking their lives.
Advocate Mamun and locals also said they failed to draw the attention of concerned authorities regarding the construction of a permanent bridge over the Kachikata Canal.
Finding no other alternative, people constructed the bamboo bridge on their own. But, it also remains under water during the rainy season.
Bojlur Rahman Sikdar, of Kachikata villager said: “Considering the sufferings of the people, I have given at least 100 bamboos for making a bamboo bridge over the canal.”
Recently two passersby and three students of Kachikata Madrash fell into the canal while crossing the bamboo bridge and were injured.
Villagers complained many patients died on their way to hospitals since the patients cannot be moved through the makeshift bamboo bridge easily.
Students of Kachikata Islamia Dakhil Madrasha Nurjahan, Fatema, Aklima, and Samsunnahar say the only way to the madrasha and they are suffering to a great extent in attending their classes duly.
Jakir Hossain, chairman of Bashgari union parishad, said: “I have submitted an application to the higher authority for constructing a bridge over the Arial Khan River.”
Upazila Chairman Toufiquzzaman said that he had informed the matter to MP AFM Bahauddin Nasim.
Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of Kalkini upazila Md Zohurul Islam :”I have sent a letter to the higher authority for building a 200-meter-long bridge on the canal.”
