The recent collapse of a pillar of an iron bridge over Jugir canal in Patuakhali’s Kalapara upazila has affected the lives of thousands of villagers in Nilganj union. Around 500 students who have to cross the canal every day to go to their schools and colleges are the worst hit.

Locals said the pillar of the bridge had suddenly collapsed into the canal a few days ago. Luckily, no person was on the bridge during the incident.

Following the collapse, parents are worried about the possibility of their children meeting with accidents while negotiating the stretch on way to their educational institutions.

Locals said students from Kumirmara Government Primary School, Kumirmara Mahila Hafeji Madrasa, Pakhimara Keratul Quran Madrasa, Nawvanga Madrasa, Nawvanga Technical College, Pakhimara Prafulla Bhowmick Secondary School, Pakimara Government Primary School and Amirabad Madrasha have to cross the canal every day. Besides, the students of Khepupara Government Model Secondary School, Government Mojahar Uddin Biswas Honours College, Kalapara Women’s Degree College and Ismail Talukder Technical College and villagers going to the nearby Pakhimara bazaar have to access the bridge, which has now turned into a veritable death trap.

Local upazila parishad member Ishaq Howlader said students were now forced to take ferry boats and fishing trawlers to cross the canal on way to their schools and colleges. “The worst affected are the children, women and elderly people in the area,” he added.

Kulsum, a student of Class VIII, said, “We have to go to school by crossing the canal on a boat. We have to pay a fare of Tk 10 every day to do so.”

Motaleb Khan, headmaster of Pakhimara Government Primary School, warned that a terrible accident could occur if immediate steps were not taken to repair the bridge. “It poses a grave risk to school and college students who have to routinely cross the bridge,” he said.

Badal Chandra Biswas, headmaster of Prafulla Bhowmick Secondary School, said the bridge collapse has led to low attendance of students in his school.

Kalapara upazila project implementation officer Sumon Chandra Debnath said work on a new bridge will be started soon.