Work period ended but bridge not built

The suffering of the people is going on in the name of building a bridge over the middle ground of Kumarkhali in Kushtia. Although the contractor took the initiative to build the bridge with a one-year work order, the contractor could not complete the construction of the bridge even after two years. Local Government Engineering (LGED) Kumarkhali is constructing the bridge. About 40 percent of the bridge work is still left. As a result, people are using dilapidated alternative narrow roads. Hundreds of thousands of people from Sadaki, Jagannathpur, Shilaidaha and several unions of adjoining Khoksa upazila have been affected.

However, due to the complaints of the locals, non-supervision of the people's representatives, indifference of the engineer's office and whimsy of the contractor, the construction work of the bridge has not been completed even today. According to the Kumarkhali Upazila Engineer's Office, the bridge under construction on the average beel is 25 meters long and 7.3 meters wide. The construction cost has been estimated at two crore 49 lakh 92 thousand 199 taka five paise. The contract was signed on 12 February 2020 by Messrs. Noor Construction of Laxipasha, Lohagara Police Station, Narail District. The agreement was to start work on February 19 of that year. But due to personal problems of the contractor, the work was delayed. Then the work of the bridge started at a snail's pace. The work on one of the pillars of the bridge under the ground finally started on February 28 of the year (2021). But the work of the bridge has not been completed even though the one year term has expired. About 70 percent of the work has been completed so far.

Cap casting work is currently underway on the bridge pillars. The work is expected to be completed in April this year. On Sunday morning, it was seen that the work of casting the cap on one of the pillars of the two-pillar bridge has been completed. The other is tied to the end of the rod. Only three workers are working to open the shuttering of the cap casting. Vehicles and people are moving along the dilapidated alternative narrow road. People and goods means that the vehicles are passing by the people. Impression of suffering on the face of every human being. At that time, one of the three workers, Ramzan Ali, said that the rod of a pillar was tied. In the other, the work of casting the cap has been completed. Work is currently underway to open the suttering. Fewer people at work due to contractor problems.

If there were more people, the work would be over quickly. Abbas Sheikh, a van driver from Hasimpur village in Jagannathpur union, said, As a result, people are using the alternative road narrow road near the bridge. In that narrow path, the rain water of the monsoon season accumulates. The cars almost overturned and broke down. I am in extreme pain. ' According to locals, the bridge carries several lakh people through Jagannathpur, Shilaidaha and Sadaki Unions of Kumarkhali Upazila, Khoksa Upazila and Pangsha, Machpara and North areas of Pangsha Upazila of Rajbari District. The work on the bridge has not been completed even after the expiry of the term and the dilapidated alternative road is increasing the suffering of the people. Mukta Khatun, a reserved female member of wards 1, 2 and 3 of Sadaki Union, said, "There is no search for the name of the bridge, only misery is increasing."

Tipu Sultan, the contractor's caretaker, said work on the bridge had not been completed due to natural calamities. Time has been extended. The work will be completed soon. Minhazul Abedin Dwip, newly elected chairman of Sadaki Union Parishad, said, Accidents often happen. The work is not being done even after repeatedly urging the Upazila Engineer. Upazila Engineer Abdur Rahim said, 'Work on the bridge started before I joined. Then the work was delayed due to various reasons. However, the pace of work has increased since joining. Cap casting work is currently underway on the pillars. About 80 percent of the work has been completed so far. We hope that the bridge will be ready for use by April this year.