Three unions in Sadar upazila of Narail district haven’t had a concrete bridge over the Kajla river in 50 years.
Villagers cross the river every day by ferrying themselves on boat.
The residents of Mulia, Sheikhhati and Tularampur villages have to cross the 80-meter wide river to go to their respective destinations including Mulia Bazar and Narail district town every day.
Children, women and elderly people have to face untold suffering while crossing the river.
Though the local representatives have made pledges to build a concrete bridge on the river several times, no visible initiative has been seen yet.
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Sujit Biswas, a resident of Mulia village, said, “The distance from Mulia Bazar to Narail city is only five kms, but due to the absence of a bridge, we have to travel 15-16 kms more to reach the town. I don't understand why the bridge is not being constructed despite repeated assurances from the authorities concerned.”
Romo Sheel, a resident of Debbhog village, said, “We have seen our ancestors crossing the river by boat and now we are doing the same. Who knows when this suffering will end?”
Ramesh Saha, another resident of Debbhog village, said patients are the worst sufferers as they have to wait for a long time to cross the river.
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A number of pregnant women died at the ghat area of the river due to delay in crossing the river, he said.
Ratan Haldar, a trader, said they have to pay Tk 1,000-1,500 more per truck to bring goods due to the absence of a concrete bridge. “We have been hearing for the past 20 years that there will be a bridge over the river but no visible steps have been seen yet. Many traders, like me, have to face financial loss due to lack of the bridge,” he said.
Mukti Biswas, a class 4 student of Mulia Secondary School, said, “Every day we have to cross the river with a lot of difficulties. It is a waste of time for hundreds of students like me as we have to wait on the banks of the river for two to three hours.”
Rabindranath Roy, chairman of Mulia Union, said some 8,000-10,000 people are crossing the river every day and 60,000 people in 15-20 villages around the river are deprived of a concrete bridge over Kajla river. He also demanded a concrete bridge there.
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Biswajit Kumar Kundu, executive engineer of Narail Local Government and Rural Development (LGED), said there is a plan to build a 400-meter long bridge of the river and the construction work of the bridge will be started soon after getting approval.
