The bridge in Shankarpasha union, which connects the region's largest fish market with the rest of the country, has tilted recently, placing the lives of the bridge users at risk.
Locals feel that the bridge may collapse at any time. About 10,000 people, as well as the fish traders, use it daily. The traders, who buy fish from the market and send their consignments to other parts of the country, will be the most affected if the bridge collapses.
While visiting there, this correspondent found that the bridge, which is about 200 feet in length and 8 feet in width, is situated over the Pirojpur-Parerhat River, the eastern side of which touches Badura village, with Parerhat bazaar in Zianagar upazila lying to the west.
About 50 fishing trawlers sell sea fish daily at the Parerhat bazar, which vastly known as matsho bandar market, from where the traders spread out with their fish hauls to other parts of the country via the bridge. In this way, the bridge plays a pivotal role in connecting the market with the rest of the country.
The bridge, which was built 35 years ago, has tilted from the middle toward in a northeast direction.
One local fish trader named Ekbal Hossain opined that the bridge is very important for the residents, particularly for businessmen like him.
Tofazzal Hossain, chairman of Shankarpasa Union under Sadar upazila, said the local people would face severe problems if the bridge collapsed. “We are trying our best to build a new bridge there,” he continued.
Pirojpur LGED Executive Engineer Md Rafiqul Hasan said he was informed of the sorry state of the bridge and was trying to build a new one as soon as possible, at a location slightly to the north of the existing bridge, because the necessary space for an approach road does not exist at any other point.
