Dulal Mia, Sunamganj
The bridge built over the Shantipur river in North Baradal Union of Tahirpur Upazila of Sunamganj is not working as there is no connecting road. Until now, no one has been able to walk on the bridge built 7 years ago at a cost of 32 lakh taka. Lakhs of people traveling to the upazila including local residents have been suffering for many years due to the lack of bridge connecting roads.

According to upazila LGED office sources, LGED (Sunamganj) HILP project has invited tenders for the construction cost of Tk 32 lakh in the financial year 2016-17 for the purpose of constructing a bridge over Shantipur river on the Badaghat-Chanpur road under North Baradal Union of the upazila. The construction of the bridge was completed in 2017. The construction of the bridge was done by Parvez Enterprises of Jamalganj Upazila.

It is known from investigation that about 15 to 20 village residents along with the tourists coming to the three customs ports and borders of the upazila, Barachra, Charagaon, Bagli, travel with the upazila headquarters on this road. Although there is water in the river during the rainy season, the water in the river almost dries up during the monsoon season. The river is navigable when it is dry during monsoon, but it is almost impossible to navigate during monsoon. As a result, there is suffering in movement. Therefore, the local residents demanded to make the immobile bridge suitable for traffic by constructing a connecting road.

Locals said that after the construction of the bridge in 2017, the soil was not filled on both sides of the bridge. The connecting road to the bridge has not been built again. So the bridge is standing on the river. Not coming for any work. In 2017, the Uttar Baradal UP Chairman allocated Tk. At that time UP member Abu Taher Miah was made the project president but he did not do the job 100%. As a result, nothing was done. The bridge was not usable.