In the northern part of Chandpur Sadar upazila, relentless erosion by the Dhanagoda River over the past seven to eight years has erased a once-bustling rural road, leaving behind only a lonely, disconnected bailey bridge stranded on the riverbank.
Constructed in 2001 by the aid agency CARE in Bishnupur village, the 60-foot-long steel bridge was part of a 5-kilometre earthen road that connected several localities.
It once served as a lifeline for hundreds of residents — students, traders and patients — who relied on it daily to reach schools, markets and medical facilities in Matlab or even the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
The road, once 18 feet wide and solid underfoot, now lives only in memory.
The Dhanagoda River, a powerful tributary of the Meghna, has claimed around one kilometre of the route. As the waters carved away at the banks, they displaced lives, livelihoods and a vital artery of rural life.
Locals such as Malek Gazi, Mokhles Gazi, Jahanara Begum, and members of the family of former Union Parishad Chairman Bari Master, lamented the losses they’ve endured.
Their homes and farmlands have been consumed by the river. What remains is a bridge to nowhere and recollections of a path that once carried the heartbeat of the community.
The road once linked BT Road to Bardiya-Aarong in Matlab Dakshin, stitching together villages including Bishnupur, Sofromali, Kanudi, Narayanpur and Farajikandi. It enabled trade, education, and access to essential services. Now, with the road gone, boats and lengthy detours are the only options, disrupting daily life for all.
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“The road was necessary for daily life — for school, markets, and emergency transport. Now we must travel by boat or take longer routes, disrupting everything,” said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a local resident.
Former UP member Arab Hazra, along with residents like Malek Gazi and Jahanara Begum, recalled how the bridge and the road were built together as a single project.
“Now, the bridge stands alone in the middle of a river. There's nothing on either side,” said Hazra. Travellers and boat passengers often gaze in disbelief and ask, “Why is this bridge here? Where did the road go?”
Despite repeated appeals to the authorities, the situation remains unresolved. While the Water Development Board has placed some sandbags in vulnerable areas, the erosion continues unabated, swallowing land and property.
“We informed the local administration and highway department several times. They reassured us, but nothing was done finally,” Hazra added.
In response, Executive Engineer of the Chandpur Water Development Board, Zahirul Islam, told UNB that a technical committee has been formed and a feasibility study is currently underway for a permanent embankment project.
“Once the Ministry approves the project, construction can begin,” he said.
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For now, residents wait — many displaced, some still holding on — urging the authorities to take immediate and meaningful action before more land, homes, and memories vanish into the river’s grip.