United News of Bangladesh

For the residents of Shahjahanpur, Alatuli and Charbagdanga unions in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj, a 60-metre bridge over the Narendrapur–Kachrar canal is more than just concrete and steel--it is the promise of easier journeys and safer roads. But that promise remains unfulfilled, as approach roads are still incomplete and construction has stalled repeatedly. The bridge, initiated in 2023 by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) at a cost of Tk 6.90 crore, was originally scheduled for completion in March this year. But land acquisition issues and delayed compensation for local landowners have forced residents to take detours of nearly 10 kilometres every day. Now, locals said, the new completion deadline has been extended to June next year. Seven years on, Tk 130cr Sunamganj bridges still unfinished Jashim, a local resident, described the daily struggle, saying, “Landowners did not allow the work to continue because they hadn’t received compensation. After much persuasion, work started, but they obstructed it again during soil-filling. Work has been stopped for nearly seven months. Many accidents occurred due to the poor condition of the road. Because of this small stretch, we now have to travel an extra 10 kilometres every day.” Rahim highlighted the safety hazards, stating, “If the bridge was completed, movement would be easier. Now the deep ditch causes auto-rickshaws to overturn frequently, injuring our relatives.” Another local man, Rafique, bemoans, “When the work began, we hoped to reach the town more quickly. But now motorcycles are overturned and heavy vehicles cannot pass. Despite a Tk 7-crore bridge, we are getting no benefit. We demand its quick completion.” Contacted, contractor Md Selim explained the delay, saying, “The work had to be suspended due to obstruction by landowners who had yet to receive their compensation. The funds have reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Once legal procedures are completed and landowners are paid, work will resume.” Deadlock between two departments brings Gomti Bridge Project to standstill Azharul Islam, engineer of LGED under Sadar upazila, said the main structure is ready, with only approach roads pending. “The land acquisition issue is close to being resolved. Work will resume soon and will be completed within two to three months,” he said.

A newly constructed bridge in Ramnathpara, Boro Hazratpur Union, Mithapukur Upazila, stands as a symbol of progress but remains almost entirely unusable due to the lack of approach roads. Completed nearly a year ago, the bridge was intended to connect residents of five nearby villages more efficiently. Instead, it has become a daily hazard. Locals have been compelled to construct temporary bamboo ladders to access the bridge, a perilous solution that places thousands of people at risk each day. Students, the elderly, and patients are forced to navigate these makeshift ladders, which become treacherously slippery during the monsoon rains. Several people have already suffered injuries, highlighting the urgent need for proper infrastructure. According to the Mithapukur Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) office, the bridge was built in the 2024–25 fiscal year by M/s Muntaha Construction at a cost of around Tk 30 lakh, funded by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Dangerous Crossing: Kurigram villagers plead for permanent bridge Yet despite its proximity – a mere 100 metres – to a herringbone road connecting Ramnathpara and Sadurpara, the bridge remains inaccessible. “Now it has become a death trap for us and we are in extreme suffering,” said local resident Nitai Chandra, adding, “The contractor didn’t build the road, even though the bridge was completed 10 to 11 months ago.” Another villager, Dhaneshwar Roy, lamented the disruption to education and daily life. “Our children can’t go to school properly. When it rains, the bamboo becomes so slippery that we sometimes have to build makeshift crossings ourselves. The government built the bridge, but without the road, it is useless.”

A 200-feet long floating bridge over Saniajan River in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district has now become a blessing for nearly 20,000 people as it will mitigate their long-standing sufferings. With the help of the local people, the bridge was constructed by placing bamboo mats on plastic drums and the cost of the bridge was approximately Tk 3 lakh. Bangladesh needs secure cotton sources to maintain export flow, avoid trade war risks: Experts Every day, hundreds of people gather to see the bridge, which has captured everyone’s attention. On March 3, the bridge was opened for the residents of the Baura union of the upazila. Since its inauguration, the bridge has facilitated the travel of local people and students, bringing a sense of joy among the residents of three villages. Shamsul Alam, President of Baura Union unit BNP, said, "Due to the lack of a bridge here, thousands of people suffer every year. Therefore, with everyone's cooperation, we, along with BNP leaders and workers, have built this floating bridge." According to local sources, thirty people from the village participated in the construction of the bridge using plastic drums, bamboo, iron angels and ropes. Local residents claimed that the residents of three villages under the union have been suffering a lot due to the absence of a bridge on the river causing hardship for both students and people. The floating drum bridge was later constructed with the initiative of some BNP leaders and local residents. Arafat Hossain, a resident of the area, said "People here suffer every year during the flood. This year, with everyone's help, local people took the initiative to build this floating bridge with drums." Educated but unemployed; joblessness soars among graduates in Bangladesh   Azizul Islam, another resident, said "As the river water rises during floods, the drums will float, and there will be no difficulty in crossing. That’s why we bought the drums to build this bridge." Shaheen, a student of Hamir Uddin Grammar School, said  "We can now easily go to school and college, thanks to the local people for building the bridge with plastic drums.” “Earlier, we had to struggle to get to school through this path and now we don’t have to get wet anymore. We can reach school in a very short time,” he said. Zillur Rahman, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Patgram upazila, who recently joined as UNO said he was unaware of the floating bridge project but mentioned that he would look into it further. NBR looking for expansion of base of VAT payers

About 20,000 residents of Sonagazi upazila of Feni and Companiganj upazila of Noakhali district are in distress as no concrete bridge has been constructed over the Chhoto Feni River at Kazirhat since it collapsed 22 years back. The bridge, collapsed in 2002 due to high tide, was the only mean of crossing it for the people of two upazilas of Feni and Noakhali districts. Despite promises from public representatives and political leaders, the bridge has not been built even after 22 years. Sources said a Regulator-cum-bridge with 20 gates was built over the Chhoto Feni River in 1961-62 at Kazirhat in Sonagazi upazila during Pakistan era to protect the coastal areas of the district from tidal surge. Read more: Focus on rural dev along with infrastructure: PM Hasina tells ECNEC The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) got the task of management and repair work of the regulator. WAPDA conducted maintenance work till 1970 and later it was renamed as Water Development Board.

After a month and half of staying closed following inundation, the iconic hanging bridge on Kaptai Lake, known as a “symbol of Rangamati”, has opened to tourists and visitors. The local administration withdrew the ban on tourist movement on the bridge on Friday (October 20, 2023) after the water receded. Several lakh tourists from across the country and abroad come to Rangamati every year and the hanging bridge is a must-see attraction. During monsoon, the district administration restricts the movement of tourists on Kaptai Lake hanging bridge due to inundation every year. Water transports banned in Kaptai Lake On September 3, the local administration suspended movement on the bridge in Rangamati as it went under water following a rise in water level in the lake due to heavy rain. Water level rises in Kaptai lake after heavy rains; power generation increased

In another development milestone, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (October 19, 2023) opened 150 newly constructed bridges in 39 districts and 14 newly constructed overpasses of the Roads and Highways Department simultaneously. She also unveiled the foundation stones of 1,100-metre Kewatkhali Bridge and 1,471-metre Rahmatpur Bridge over Brahmaputra river in Mymensingh, while opened newly constructed DTCA Bhaban for Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, BRTA Automated Motor Vehicle Fitness Test Centre of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, BRTC Bus Depot and Training Centre of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation as well as conferred the financial assistance to the road accident victims. Also read: PM Hasina denounces BNP as a terrorist party that kills people The premier inaugurated these infrastructures through a virtual platform from a programme in Sarak Bhaban in the city’s Tejgaon area. The audiences were also connected virtually from Mymensingh Circuit House Ground and BRTA Office in Mirpur. She also unveiled a mural of Bangabandhu in Sarak Bhaban, the office of Roads and Highways Department. In less than one year since the simultaneous inauguration of 100 bridges across the country, the prime minister opened 150 more bridges -- 40 bridges in Mymensingh Division, 32 in Dhaka Division, 27 in Chattogram, 22 in Rajshahi, 12 in Khulna, eight each in Barishal and Rangpur and one in Sylhet division. Also read: PM Hasina declares state mourning on Saturday for Palestinians killed by Israel Total length of the 150 bridges is 9.45km and the total length of 14 overpasses — eight in Rajshahi Division and six in Rangpur Division — is 689 meters. The 1100-metre Kewatkhali bridge, which is set to be the largest steel-arch bridge in the country, will be constructed at a cost of Tk 3263.63 crore, while the 1471-metre Rahmatpur bridge will be constructed at a cost of Tk 358 crore by June 2025. Stop race to overtake on roads: PM Addressing the function, the prime minister asked the drivers of motor vehicles to stop abnormal races on roads and tendency to overtake others unnecessarily, for preventing accidents and thus protecting the lives of the people. “We’ll have to stop the unusual competitions that take place on roads and the tendency to overtake,” she said. She stressed the need for imparting proper training to the drivers to check the unusual race on the road and change their mindset to avoid the unnecessary race. “They (drivers) should be given psychological education that it (the race) would invite damage not only to the people rather the drivers may lose their own lives as well,” she added. Hasina asked all to follow speed limit and traffic rules and allow the drivers to take proper rest. She focused on her government’s success over improvement of the country’s road connectivity, including development of highways and construction of bridges during her three consecutive regimes since 2009. On 7 November 2022, PM Hasina opened the 100 bridges in 25 districts. The total length of the bridges was 5.5km. Also read: PM Hasina urges OIC neighbours to resolve their problems through dialogue Among the 150 bridges constructed with a total cost of Tk 3,287 crore, the notable ones include Garakola and Nayarhat bridges in Gopalganj, Chapair bridge in Gazipur, Titas bridge in Brahmanbaria, Muhuri bridge in Feni, Matamuhuri bridge in Cox’s Bazar, Machrong bridge in Barishal, Tulalampur bridge in Narail, Simakhali bridge in Magura, Arialkhar bridge in Bogura, Bahagili bridge in Nilphamari, Chatak-Surma bridge in Sylhet. Eight of the new overpasses were constructed on Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur Highway. The premier opened the distribution of financial assistance among the road accident victims and family members. A total of 162 victims or family members –-42 persons from Dhaka Division, 39 from Chattogram, 26 from Rajshahi, 18 from Rangpur, 11 from Khulna, 10 each from Mymensingh and Sylhet and six from Barishal division—received the financial assistance in the function. The distribution of the financial assistance among the road crash victims will continue. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Chairperson of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Rowshan Ara Mannan and Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division ABM Amin Ullah Nuri spoke at the event, while Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Syed Moinul Hasan delivered the welcome speech.

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.

Dreams of some three lakh people in Kachua and Matlab Dakkhin upazilas of Chandpur district are finally coming true following the opening of a 42-meter long bridge over Boaljhuri canal. Socio-economic life in the locality will see a major change through the inauguration of the bridge. Read : 6-year-old girl dies as dengue cases rise in Kushtia The two upazilas — Matlab Dakkhin and Kachua — are separated by the Boaljhuri canal and people of the two upazilas had to cross the canal through boats. To mitigate the suffering of the people of two upazilas, local lawmakers took an initiative to build a bridge in an effort to ease communication. Once the bridge is opened, the social and economic lifestyle of Prashannacup, Banglabazar villages in Kachua bordering area and Kalikapur, Chartbhanga, Kashimpur villages under Matlab Dakkhin upazila will be changed. People can easily go to the district headquarters in a short period of time and at low cost. A Alim, upazila engineer of Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), said they have completed the construction work of 42-meter concrete bridge over the Boaljhuri canal, at a cost of Tk 2.55 crore, financed by the government, and it will be opened on September 12. Read : Bodies of couple recovered in Chandpur Former minister and MP of Kachua constituency Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir will inaugurate the bridge, he said. The construction work of the bridge started in the 2020-21 fiscal year but it was delayed due to the pandemic. Approach roads have been built on both sides of the bridge, said A Alim. During a recent visit to the bridge area, the UNB correspondent saw that the painting of the bridge is underway. A number of stalls offering fuchka, coffee and tea were set up near the bridge while the construction of many shops is underway on both sides of the river. People were seen roaming around the bridge before the opening ceremony. Read : Bangladeshi cattle trader shot dead ‘by BSF ,along Panchagarh border Locals Abul Hossain, Shafique Patwari, said they had suffered a lot due to the absence of a bridge over the canal. The commute to the district headquarters used to be long. The bridge will help boost trade and income in the two upazilas, they believe. Teachers of Matlab Dakkhin Kalikapur High School said they had to cross the canal by boat to go to the school but now students and teachers can easily go to the school in a short time using the bridge.

The Bridges Division on Monday (June 19, 2023) paid Tk 316.02 crore as third and fourth installments of the loan taken for construction of Padma Bridge. Bridges Division Secretary Manjur Hossain handed over a cheque of Tk 316,02,69,093 to the Senior Secretary of Finance Division around 10 am  in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said a press release of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry. Read: Repayment of Padma Bridge loan starts with Tk 316.91 crore given to govt Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader, cabinet members, secretary, principal secretary to the prime minister were also present at that time. With this, the Bridges Division paid a total of Tk 632,93,36,6142 to the government in installments. Read: Tk 660.24 cr toll collected from Padma Bridge till April 25: Quader Earlier on April 5, the Bridges Division began the repayment of the loan with Tk 316,90,97,049 from the revenue it earned as toll collection from the bridge. The loan was taken from Bangladesh Bank at a low interest rate under an agreement signed between the Finance Division and the Bangladesh Bridge Authority. Read: Padma Bridge Rail Link: 75% complete, on course for June 2024 handover In line with a revised agreement with the finance division on 26 July 2022, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) will repay the loan in 35 years through 140 installments (four installments each year). The repayment will continue up to the fiscal year 2056-57. The authority collected tolls worth Tk 779,75,87,000 from the bridge till June 18,2023.

Over Tk 660.24 crore toll has been collected from the Padma Bridge till April 25, said Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday. Besides, 77,529 motorbikes crossed the bridge from 6 am on April 22 till 6 am on April 26 and during this period, Tk 77,52,900 toll were collected, he said while speaking at a view-exchange meeting with the staff of the Bridges Division at the Secretariat. Read more: Tk 603.76 cr toll collected from Padma Bridge till March: Quader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in September, said Quader. He also asked the authorities concerned to take steps in advance considering the cattle market, movement of cattle-laden vehicles and rains to ensure smooth journey of people. Presided over by Bridges Division Secretary Md Manjur Hossain, Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Kazi Md Ferdous and project directors of different projects and high officials concerned were present at the meeting.