Bhola people awaiting opening of dream bridge

The Baghmara Bridge that has been constructed over Baghmara River to connect Bhola with Patuakhali is awaiting inauguration. The 1,500-foot-long bridge is a long-standing demand of the people living in the northern part of Bhola, especially the residents of different chars (dried up riverbeds) under the district. Moreover, the road communication from Bhola to Patuakhali across the river badly affects the inter-connectivity between the two districts. To date, boats are the main medium of communication in the region. But, the bridge will help commuters save two hours while travelling between the two districts. Considering the situation, the locals had long been demanding a bridge to be built on the route. Many term the construction of the bridge a dream that came true. Jakir Kha, a resident of Bhola city, said: “The bridge will greatly help improve socio-economic development between the two districts.” One would easily manage to travel from Bhola to Patuakhali in an hour using the bridge, whose width is 23 feet. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) had undertaken project of the bridge in 2012. Constructed by Dhaka-based Toma Constructions Ltd at the cost of Tk42 crore, the bridge has a 120-metre approach road on the east bank of the river, while a 360-metre one on the west. Bhola district LGED Executive Engineer Md Sakhawat Hossain said the bridge will be opened to traffic as soon as the LGED Chief Engineer Shyama Prasad Adhikari manages some time to inaugurate it.