In Barisal’s Banaripara town has a bridge but no road Two and a half million rupees is about to go!

Suman Khan :

In Barisal’s Banaripara town, the bridge built at an estimated cost of 2.5 crore rupees by LGED is of no use due to the lack of construction of roads on one side and connecting roads on both sides of Sandhya river. If the road with connection is not constructed, the government will waste two and a half crore rupees in the construction of the bridge. According to upazila LGED office sources, an initiative has been taken to build a road along with a bridge in the pattern of the city defense barrier from Chare Bandar Bazar ferry ghat on the bank of Sandhya River in Ward No. 2 of Banaripara Municipality to South Nazirpur High School. From the ferry ghat, carpeting roads were first constructed at a cost of one crore thirty lakh rupees in some parts and then a bridge was constructed at a cost of two and a half crore rupees on the branch canal of the Sandhya river. In the tender, a connecting road of 90 meters at the northern end and 100 meters at the southern end of the bridge is supposed to be constructed, but only the bridge has been constructed. At the southern end of that bridge, if only 350 meters of road including 100 meters of connecting road were built, the local people would have benefited from the expansion of the trade and commerce of the traditional Banaripara port market. Otherwise the construction of the bridge will be a waste of money. In this regard, Mehdi Hasan Badal, the owner of M/s Kohinoor Enterprise, the contractor company that built the bridge, said that he is unable to construct the connecting road of the bridge as the revised estimate is not approved. In this context Banaripara upazila engineer said. Humayun Kabir said that the bridge will be of no use if the connecting road is constructed but the road is not constructed at the southern end. Therefore, efforts are being made to build a road up to Dakshin Nazirpur High School along with connecting roads on both sides of the bridge. In this regard, the traders of Banaripara port market said that if this road of their dream is built, it will be easier to load and unload goods along the road along with the river. The market will gather again in a new form with the movement of buyers and sellers. He also said that they are weaving a web of new dreams in the field of business around the road. In this regard, Mir Saidur Rahman Shahjahan, a resident of Dakshin Nazirpur village of Ward No. 2 of the city, said that if the road is constructed through Dakshin Nazirpur Primary and High School to Machrang village with bridge connection, the quality of life of the people of the area will change. Homesteads and businesses will be built on the river bank. It will be easier to go to educational institutions and markets. As a result, there is a radical change in the communication system, it will have a positive effect on business. Banaripara Bandar Bazaar Traders Association President and Upazila Awami League Joint General Secretary Subrata Lal Kundu said in this regard. If the construction of this road is completed, both the buyers and sellers of the port market will enjoy the benefits and the business will expand. The people of the entire upazila will benefit including the municipal residents. He demanded to take proper initiative to the concerned to complete the road construction work. Advocate Subhash Chandra Sheel, Mayor of Banaripara Municipality and Legal Affairs Secretary of District Awami League, said in this regard. The road along with the bridge along the river is very important to protect the town of Banaripara and to enrich the trade and commerce of the port market. This road is of great public importance for converting the market-centric one-way road into a multi-way road and for smooth movement of all types of goods vehicles including buses and trucks to unload goods. In this regard, Banaripara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fatima Azreen Tanbi said, appropriate steps will be taken to construct the public road including the approach to the bridge. Chairman of Banaripara Upazila Parishad and President of Upazila Awami League Alhaj Golam Farooq said in this context, to protect the city of Banaripara municipality, development of communication system and expansion of business, an initiative has been taken to construct the road with three bridges on the pattern of city protection dams on the river bank. Already, the construction of two large bridges along with a section of the road has been completed. Necessary steps will be taken to complete the remaining road construction along with another large-scale bridge. In this context, Member of Parliament of Barisal-2 Constituency and former Central President of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Md. Shahe Alam said, to bring back the past glory of Banaripara’s business and trade, including rice and rice, and to build a sustainable and modern city suitable for living, the urban area of Ward No. 1 has been shifted from housing to Ward No. 2. An initiative has been taken to construct a road with multiple bridges to establish a connection with the Swarupkathi-Barisal road in front of Machong Union Parishad from Ferighat via Dakshin Nazirpur High School. Related instructions have been given to complete the rest of the work. He also said that this work will be implemented soon