Gazaria (Munshiganj) Representative

The bridge construction work has not been completed despite 4 extensions.

The work on the bridge under construction on the Jamaldi Canal in Gazaria, Munshiganj, funded by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), is progressing slowly. This has caused extreme public suffering.

It is known that thousands of people from 29 villages under the two unions of Gazaria and Hossaindi of the upazila travel from Jamaldi to different places in the country including the upazila headquarters and the capital Dhaka every day. In addition, goods carrying vehicles of several renowned industrial factories of the country built in different areas of Hossaindi Union travel to different destinations through the road. The Local Government Engineering Department took up the construction of a new RCC girder bridge there by demolishing the old Bailey bridge in front of the Square Company on this busiest road. However, despite the fact that the specified time for the construction of the bridge was extended long ago, the construction work of the bridge has not been completed even after 4 extensions. Transport drivers, passengers and pedestrians plying on this road are angry.

According to sources from the Gazaria Upazila Local Government Engineering Department, the contractor “Faridpur Jannat Construction Limited” was given the responsibility to construct a 45-meter-long and 9-meter-wide RCC girder bridge over the Jamaldi Canal at a cost of about 4.86 crore taka. The bridge construction work was inaugurated in June 2022. The deadline for the bridge construction work was set for December 2023. Later, the time was extended to June of this year and then to August or September. It has been extended again to December.

It was seen on the spot that the alternative dirt road next to the bridge under construction has also deteriorated due to the continuous rains of the last few days. Two goods vehicles cannot run simultaneously due to potholes in different parts. Transport drivers have to wait for a long time in traffic jams. Pedestrians are forced to walk with their noses and mouths in the dust of the road.

On the other hand, it has been seen that the construction of the guard lllwalls and the floor slabs on both sides of the bridge has already been completed. The middle slab and the railings on both sides of the bridge are still to be completed. A few workers are working on tying iron rods to the beams on the bridge.

Locals said that the work on the bridge is progressing at a snail’s pace, and it will take another year to complete the work. After working for a year after the start of the construction of the bridge, the contractor went missing. Later, on September 7, when locals formed a human chain and protest march on the highway demanding the restart of the stopped work to alleviate public suffering, the Executive Officer of Gazaria Upazila assured the locals that the bridge construction work would be completed soon.

In almost two and a half years, no other work has been done except the slabs and guardwalls on both sides of the bridge. Locals allege that the contractor is negligent in the construction work due to his collusion with the Upazila Engineering Office. They have only one demand from the concerned authorities to complete the construction work of the bridge as soon as possible.

Attempts to contact the main contractor to talk about this matter were unsuccessful.

In this regard, local UP Chairman Monirul Haque Mithu said, the locals and pedestrians are suffering greatly due to the slow progress of the construction work of this bridge. Commuters are constantly bothering us. I have informed the upazila administration about the matter.

In this regard, Gazaria Upazila Engineer Samiul Arefin said, the work of the bridge will be completed by January 2025. He said, I joined this upazila as an engineer in March this year.

Then, the construction of the bridge was delayed due to natural disasters. The casting work has already been completed on both sides of the bridge, and preparations for the casting work in the middle part are underway. He admitted that the time had been extended twice before and said, if it had not been for the natural disaster, the work of this bridge might have been completed earlier.