Tabarak Lakshmipur Correspondent: The bridge connecting Malibari to M. Rahmania Alia Madrasa and Girls’ School road in Keroa Union, located in Raipur Upazila of Lakshmipur, has been in a state of disrepair for an extended period. Consequently, passengers have faced ongoing difficulties during their travels. Furthermore, last month, the significant potholes along the 7-kilometer Raipur-Panpara road were also addressed. On the afternoon of Monday, July 7, former student leader Md. Shah Alam, who resides in the same union, took the initiative to renovate the bridge independently. He previously served as the president of Keroa Union Chhatra Dal. Local residents have shown their enthusiasm for his personal effort, and he has garnered praise on social media.
Residents have noted that thousands of individuals use this bridge and Panpara Road daily. This road and bridge serve as the sole means of communication between the two upazilas. Despite their long-standing requests for renovation, no action has been taken. As a result, both the road and bridge have remained in a state of disrepair for years.
On Monday, amid the rain, Shah Alam repaired the road and bridge using bricks and gravel to alleviate the villagers’ suffering. Commuters have remarked that, although the solution is temporary, it will significantly reduce the hardships faced while traveling on this bridge.
A local resident, Arif Hossain, expressed that such an initiative to repair the road and bridge privately is certainly praiseworthy. The condition of the infrastructure has been utterly deplorable for the last decade. While locals have made several attempts to renovate it gradually, traveling on it has become hazardous at times. Despite repeated requests for repairs to the responsible authorities, no attention has been given. When repairs are made, they often get damaged again due to heavy vehicles.
Keroa Union Chairman Shahinur Begum said, “The person who renovated it told me about it in advance. This road and bridge have been in a deplorable condition for a long time. Despite renovations several times, the condition has not changed. Because, two to four to five lakh taka was allocated for renovation. With which, good quality renovations were not done. Moreover, thousands of cars and big trucks pass over it every day. That is why the condition quickly deteriorates. For complete renovation, allocations will be made from the LGED project. Work will start as soon as the rains subside. Hopefully, there will be no more problems then.”
