Demonstration protest demanding road and bridge reform in Kurigram.

 Saifur Rahman Shamim, Kurigram :

 Aggrieved residents of Kurigram Municipality held a protest march and human chain program demanding renovation of the 1 km road from Velakopa Hanagar head to Kaitkyatar market and construction of a bridge over it. On Monday (December 19), an angry protest march under the banner of local residents protested in front of the Kurigram Municipality.  Later, the protest march ended in the office of the Deputy Commissioner by forming a human chain in front of the Kurigram Press Club.  After the protest march and human chain, the victims presented a memorandum to the Kurigram District Commissioner.

It is known from the related sources that Hanagar bridge was built at the cost of Tk 1 crore 25 lakhs along with the Pichdhala road and bridge connecting road at the head of Hanagar in Tapu Velakopa under Kurigram municipality in 2011-12 financial year.  The 17 meter long and 5 meter wide bridge was a blessing for the villagers but became a curse in the 2017 floods.  Although the bridge is intact, the connecting road is broken.  Unable to find a way, the local people made a bamboo bridge and arranged the movement.  This year, the municipal authorities made Sanko with wood and bamboo, but the suffering of about 10,000 residents of the two banks did not end.

Safiqul Islam, who took part in the human chain, said, ‘There is no end to the suffering of people in this region for the past 5 years.  Even after informing many political figures to no avail.  So finally we were forced to make a human chain.  If you don’t take the initiative to complete the construction and renovation of this bridge in a quick time, then we will give a tougher program than the human chain later.’ In this regard, Kurigram Municipality Mayor Md. Kajiul Islam said, ‘A report has already been sent to the higher authorities in Dhaka for the renovation of the bridge.  The road and the bridge will be renovated very quickly next year when the budget comes.