Jhalokathi, July 30 (V7N) — A severely dilapidated bridge located on the border of Amua and Chechri Rampur unions in Kathalia upazila has become a life-threatening hazard for students and residents alike. The bridge, built over a small canal between Dakshin Chechri Nesharia Independent Ebtedayi Madrasa and Bashbunia Nesharia Karimiah Independent Ebtedayi Madrasa, is now in a dangerous state of disrepair.
 
Students of both madrasas cross the bridge daily, risking their lives due to its fragile and collapsing structure. Local residents, including elderly people, women, and children, have no choice but to use the same bridge for daily movement. The bridge has not seen any repairs for years. The concrete slabs have broken apart, and the iron supports are tilted and unstable. Locals fear a serious accident could happen at any time.
 
In response to growing concerns, students and villagers previously attempted to reinforce the bridge temporarily using logs and wooden planks placed alongside the broken sections. However, during the current monsoon season, the wood has rotted, increasing the risk of collapse.
 
The bridge, which connects two union areas and serves as a vital route for schoolchildren and villagers, has become severely cracked and partially collapsed, posing serious risks to daily commuters. (Photo: V7N)
 
Students Jannati Akhter, Fatima Khanam, and Talha Jamaddar from Bashbunia Madrasa expressed their fear and anxiety, stating that they cross the bridge with great hesitation every day. “We are always scared when we walk across it,” one student said.
 
Md. Abul Hossain Khan, a local guardian, added, “Our young children are risking their lives just to get to school. As parents, we are constantly worried something terrible might happen.”
 
Maulana Md. Mozammel Haque, principal of Bashbunia Nesharia Karimiah Madrasa, emphasized that the bridge is no longer fit for use. “Our students often face minor accidents. Some are forced to walk over a kilometer to reach school via an alternate route,” he said. He further noted that with two schools on either side of the canal, the construction of a new bridge is urgently needed.
 
Md. Mahbub Jamaddar, a teacher from Dakshin Chechri Nesharia Madrasa, added that the bridge’s iron pillars are now leaning into the canal, and the wooden surface is largely missing. “Thousands of villagers are crossing this death trap daily. A new bridge is the only solution,” he urged.
 
Local Union Parishad member Md. Mahbub Alam confirmed that the bridge has already been included in the list submitted to the Upazila Parishad for urgent reconstruction. “We expect the work to begin soon,” he said.
 
Dipul Kumar Biswas, the upazila engineer for the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), stated that a proposal has been drafted and submitted to the ministry for a new bridge. “We are hopeful that the project will be approved and implemented without delay.”
 
The report calls on the relevant authorities to prioritize the reconstruction of the bridge to prevent potential tragedy and safeguard the lives of local residents and students who rely on it every day.
 
END/AIJ/SMA/