Jhalokathi, Nov 11 (V7N) — Residents and students of Kathalia upazila in Jhalokathi formed a human chain, held a rally, and blocked roads on Monday morning, demanding the immediate completion of the long-stalled bridge construction over the Dhopa Canal near Amua Hospital. The protest, organized by the Youth Redcare Humanitarian Foundation, began at 11 a.m. and stretched nearly one kilometer, with hundreds of students and locals joining on both sides of the road near the construction site.

Protesters expressed frustration that the bridge, which was initiated during the 2021–2022 fiscal year, remains incomplete even after several years. Although it was originally scheduled for completion in 2023, only about 20 percent of the work has been finished. Locals claimed that the contractor abandoned the project and went into hiding, leaving the structure unfinished and unusable.

Due to the incomplete bridge, thousands of residents—including women, children, and patients—are forced to cross the Dhopa Canal every day using a temporary and unsafe wooden bridge. The route serves as a crucial connection for nine educational institutions, Amua Hospital—the only hospital in Kathalia upazila—and three nearby marketplaces, including Amua Bazar.

Speakers at the rally demanded immediate government action to resume and complete the project, warning that continued neglect would worsen the suffering of the community.

Among those who addressed the gathering were Youth Redcare Humanitarian Foundation President Md Mehedi Hasan, Amua High School Head Teacher Monjurul Haque, Jamaat-e-Islami Kathalia Upazila Ameer Master Mojibur Rahman, Amua Union Parishad Chairman Nokirul Islam, Union BNP General Secretary Abdul Mannan Talukdar, Jubo Dal leader Tuhin Mia, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Vocational Institute Principal Mahbubur Rahman, and students Samira Akter and Arindra Majumder.

Residents urged the authorities to take swift measures to restart the construction work, emphasizing that the bridge is vital for local transportation, healthcare access, and education.

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