Thousands suffer for want of permanent bridge

Thousands of people of 30 villages in two upazilas under Thakurgaon district are suffering for want of a concrete bridge over the Tirnoi River. 

The affected people belong to Baliadangi and Ranishankoil upazilas of the district.
“There was a wooden bridge over the river but it was damaged during the Liberation War. But authorities are yet to take steps to solve the problem permanently”, deed writer Jamiruddin told this correspondent during his visit to Baliadangi recently. 
Locals are facing trouble to go to the upazila headquarters, health complex, schools, markets, banks and different government and non-government offices located there, said affected people.
The affected villages include Kadamtali, Bragochia, Chochpara, Dhuliavita, Dalal Bosti, Uzirmoni, Dakhin Duari and Polashbari village under Baliadangi and Laksham, Jhabortola, Choybhagia, Kashipur, Gurbari, Jogdal, Moharaja, Patagora, Kadihat, and Nuntor under Ranishankoil upazilas.
“Every year we need to rebuild the bamboo bridge. We want a concrete bridge over the river for smooth communication,” said Nagen Chandra, headmaster of Bara Palashbari High School. 
“We are suffering a lot because it is very difficult to go upazila headquarters due to the lack of a bridge,” said he.
The people’s representatives of the area pledged several times for constructing the bridge before their union parishad and parliamentary elections but they forgot the promise after polls, villagers said.
A large number of school and madrasah students of the school and Beltala Islamic Alim Madrasah don’t go to school regularly as they have to cross the river by boat.
Superintendent of Beltala Islamic Alim Madrasah Kushum Uddin said during monsoon they set up a sub-centre on the southern bank of the river for taking examinations as over 200 students reside there. 
Students of different institutions are suffering a lot due to the lack of a bridge, said he.
Farmer Abdul Alim, 65, of Bara zPalashbari under Baliadangi upazila, said they are often deprived of fair prices of their produces that cannot be easily carried to the upazila market due to want of a bridge. 
Monsur Ali, chairman of Bara Palashbari union parishad, said “The authorities concerned should take immediate steps to relieve people’s suffering,” 
“We sent several letters to the authority concerned for construction of a bridge, but in vain,” he said.
Demanding immediate construction of the bridge, Jyotish Chandra Roy, Kashipur UP chairman of Ranishankoil, said he had informed the local government authorities of the situation and urged taking necessary steps.
Monirul Hossain, engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Baliadangi, said they informed the higher authorities about the matter. 
“We had already submitted a proposal to the higher authorities for the construction of five other bridges,” said he.
Lawmaker of Thakurgaon-2 constituency Dabirul Islam said he has a plan to build a bridge-cum-rubber dam across the river during the tenure of the present government.

Thousands suffer for want of permanent bridge

Thousands of people of 30 villages in two upazilas under Thakurgaon district are suffering for want of a concrete bridge over the Tirnoi River. The affected people belong to Baliadangi and Ranishankoil upazilas of the district. There was a wooden bridge over the river but it was damaged during the Liberation War. But authorities are yet to take steps to solve the problem permanently, deed writer Jamiruddin told this correspondent during his visit to Baliadangi recently. Locals are facing trouble to go to the upazila headquarters, health complex, schools, markets, banks and different government and non-government offices located there, said affected people. The affected villages include Kadamtali, Bragochia, Chochpara, Dhuliavita, Dalal Bosti, Uzirmoni, Dakhin Duari and Polashbari village under Baliadangi and Laksham, Jhabortola, Choybhagia, Kashipur, Gurbari, Jogdal, Moharaja, Patagora, Kadihat, and Nuntor under Ranishankoil upazilas. Every year we need to rebuild the bamboo bridge. We want a concrete bridge over the river for smooth communication, said Nagen Chandra, headmaster of Bara Palashbari High School. We are suffering a lot because it is very difficult to go upazila headquarters due to the lack of a bridge, said he. The peoples representatives of the area pledged several times for constructing the bridge before their union parishad and parliamentary elections but they forgot the promise after polls, villagers said. A large number of school and madrasah students of the school and Beltala Islamic Alim Madrasah dont go to school regularly as they have to cross the river by boat. Superintendent of Beltala Islamic Alim Madrasah Kushum Uddin said during monsoon they set up a sub-centre on the southern bank of the river for taking examinations as over 200 students reside there. Students of different institutions are suffering a lot due to the lack of a bridge, said he. Farmer Abdul Alim, 65, of Bara zPalashbari under Baliadangi upazila, said they are often deprived of fair prices of their produces that cannot be easily carried to the upazila market due to want of a bridge. Monsur Ali, chairman of Bara Palashbari union parishad, said The authorities concerned should take immediate steps to relieve peoples suffering, We sent several letters to the authority concerned for construction of a bridge, but in vain, he said. Demanding immediate construction of the bridge, Jyotish Chandra Roy, Kashipur UP chairman of Ranishankoil, said he had informed the local government authorities of the situation and urged taking necessary steps. Monirul Hossain, engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Baliadangi, said they informed the higher authorities about the matter. We had already submitted a proposal to the higher authorities for the construction of five other bridges, said he. Lawmaker of Thakurgaon-2 constituency Dabirul Islam said he has a plan to build a bridge-cum-rubber dam across the river during the tenure of the present government.