Bridge left unrepaired for six years, causing hardship for residents of 20 villages

The Shuakoir Bridge over the Jhinai River, located on the border between Sarishabari and Madarganj upazilas in Jamalpur, has remained unrepaired for six years after partially collapsing.

Since July 21, 2020, when severe flood currents and illegal sand extraction from the river using dredgers caused two bridge pillars and spans to collapse, road communication for nearly 20 villages across the two upazilas has been severed. During the monsoon, residents must rely on boats to cross the river, while in the dry season, bamboo footbridges serve as their only means of passage.

According to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the 200-meter-long bridge was constructed during the 2003–04 fiscal year at a cost of approximately Tk 20 million in the Shuakoir–Hudur Mor area. Contractor M.H. Enterprise completed the project in 2006, and the bridge was subsequently opened to traffic.

However, just 14 years later, on July 21, 2020, powerful floodwaters caused the collapse of two pillars and two girders, sending nearly 60 meters of the bridge's central section into the river. Since then, road connectivity in the region has remained completely disrupted.

The collapse has severely affected residents of around 20 villages, including Charrouha, Charnandina, Borobaria, Bir Borobaria, Helenchabari, Swadhina Bari, Charhat Bari, Sidhuli, Chuniapatol, Singuria, Degree Pajbari, Khandakar Bari, Charchhataria, Adra, and neighboring villages in Madarganj Upazila such as Char Lotabar, Shyamganj Kalibari, Sadarabari, and Rayerchar.

A visit to the site reveals that although roads remain intact on both sides of the bridge, no vehicles can cross because the middle section has collapsed into the river. Hundreds of residents now risk their lives crossing by boat every day. Students are among those suffering the most.

Student Naeem said, "When the bridge was intact, it took us only 15 to 20 minutes to reach college from home. Now, taking the alternative route takes between one and one-and-a-half hours.

During the rainy season, we have to crowd into boats, and our clothes often get soaked. Sometimes there are no boats available at the ghat, causing us to miss our first two classes. Every day, we risk our lives crossing the river, and our studies are suffering."

Local resident Azad Mia expressed his frustration, saying, "Before elections, politicians make big promises to rebuild the bridge. Once the elections are over, they disappear. Years have passed, yet we are still forced to cross the river under difficult conditions. No one seems to care about our suffering. Everyone gives us hope, but no one takes real action to solve the problem."

Farmer Abdul Motaleb from Shuakoir said the collapse has deprived local farmers of fair prices for their produce.

"We cannot easily transport our crops to town, and buyers from the town are reluctant to come here. Taking produce to the market now costs much more in transportation, so we suffer financially from every direction. Rebuilding the bridge would greatly benefit us."

Another farmer, Farhad Mia, echoed similar concerns.

"There is no bridge, and the roads are in terrible condition. We work tirelessly to grow crops on these char lands, but we cannot get them to market on time."

"What used to be a one-hour journey now takes four hours as we have to push our vans along broken roads. By the time vegetables reach the market, they have often lost freshness, allowing wholesalers to force down prices. Previously, we could sell our produce in town at good prices, but now we are compelled to sell locally at lower prices because of the additional transportation costs. This broken bridge has broken the backs of the farming community."

Regarding the reconstruction, Sarishabari Upazila LGED Engineer Golam Kibria Tamal said, "We have already submitted the final proposal to the ministry for constructing a new bridge. All necessary administrative preparations are underway from our side to ensure the Shuakoir Bridge is rebuilt as quickly as possible."