Despite completion, a concrete bridge built at the cost of Tk 69 lakh over Itapota canal in Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat district has not been fully functional for over one year due to no approach road on both sides. During a recent visit to the bridge site, this UNB correspondent found that there are no connecting roads on either side of the bridge as the contractor left it abandoned. Bridge over canal in Kurigram: No renovation since Pakistan era According to the Sadar upazila project implementation sources, the 50 ft long and 14 ft wide bridge over the Itapota canal was constructed at a cost of Tk 68,68,703 under the Disaster Management Department in 2021-22 fiscal year. The construction work was finished in May, 2022, but the contractor firm has not handed over the project to the authorities concerned yet. About 80 percent payment of the total project has been made to the contractor. Stop construction of bridges on 6 rivers in Jashore: National Committee to protect shipping, roads Local people have made a bamboo bridge on both sides of the concrete bridge to use it which is also at risk of collapse any time. Some 15,000 people of Itapota, Bangram, Chararpar, Kharua and Bumka villages are using the bamboo bridge every day, putting their lives at risk. Sahara Begum, said, “A concrete bridge was built over the canal but the authorities concerned did not build an approach road to use it. We, with our children, have to cross the bamboo bridge first to use the concrete bridge, which is strenuous for us.” Habibur Rahman Habib, chairman of Mogalhat Union Parishad, said, “A meeting was held over the perilous situation of the concrete bridge and the contractor firm has been asked to build connecting roads on both sides of the bridge. They also assured us of starting their work after water recedes.” 50 years without a concrete bridge! Mashiur Rahman, Sadar Upazila Project Implementation Officer, said that soil dumped on both sides of the concrete bridge had caved in during flash floods several times and the contractor firm is taking steps to put more soil and do the piling work.