Four years on, thousands suffer as Narail Bridge yet to complete

Around three lakh people of Narail have been suffering immensely as the construction work on a 651.83-metre-long bridge over the Nabaganga River could not be completed even in around four years’ time.

Although the construction of the 10.25 meter-wide bridge in Kalia upazila was scheduled to be completed by June 2019, 55-60% of the work has so far been completed by the end of January 2022.

After the expiry of the deadline, RHD has extended the deadline by one more year till 30 June 2020. But the contractor failed to complete the work and the RHD, on ground of Covid-19 pandemic, further extended the time till 30 June 2021.

Since the beginning of the construction work in March 2018, the construction firm has so far managed to install multiple pillars of the Baroipara bridge and more pillars are yet to be installed.

During a recent visit to the construction site, it has been found only 10-12 workers working at a pillar in the mid-river. No work on the main bridge but only some pillars have been done. The link roads on both sides of the bridge are yet to be constructed.

The Nabaganga River divides the upazila from Narail district town.  People of 14 unions in Kalia upazila are suffering immensely due to the lack of a bridge over the river, hindering the movement of the people and goods.

Expressing displeasure, locals alleged that the construction work is moving at a snail’s pace thanks to slackness of the contractor firm and appointing fewer workers.

Aslam Sheikh, a resident of Babra village of the upazila, said no industry- factories are built there as the transportation system of the upazila is not good. Every day thousands of people have to cross the river to go to offices, schools-colleges and hospitals.

Once the bridge is built as it will help farmers carry their produces to markets easily, Tariqul Islam, another farmer, said.

Mushfiqur Rahman Liton, former mayor of Kalia municipality, said residents of eight unions will get the benefit of the bridge. In the case of fire incidents, fire service can move quickly to the upazila and easily send emergency patients to hospital.

AM Atiqullah, deputy assistant engineer of Narail Roads and Highways Department, said, “We wrote to the higher authority to extend the time for the construction of the bridge over the River by one more year till next June. We’re trying to complete its construction by this time.”

Wishing anonymity, an official of the contractor firm, said at the beginning, there was a two-three months’ delay in construction due to complications about the bridge’s design. Already 60% of the construction work is finished.

The company is hopeful about completing the construction of the bridge within the proposed extension of the deadline by one more year, the official added.

Local MP Kabirul Haq Mukti said, “Due to the slow pace of the construction work, the contractor could not complete the bridge despite expiry of the deadline three times. I have urged the contractor and the department concerned to speed up the construction work.”