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The collapse of a dilapidated Bailey bridge over the Khirai River in Daudkandi has disrupted a vital road link between Chandpur and Dhaka, forcing thousands of commuters from six upazilas to take lengthy detours.
The bridge at Khamarpara on the Chandpur-Matlab-Daudkandi-Dhaka road collapsed suddenly on August 1 while a bulkhead carrying several thousand bricks was passing underneath, according to local residents.
The vessel sank following the accident, but all 16-17 workers aboard managed to swim ashore and escaped unharmed. They reportedly lost their mobile phones, cash and other valuables in the incident.
Since the collapse, residents and students have been using small boats to cross the river, while vehicles are being forced to take an alternative route.
The disruption has particularly affected people from Chandpur Sadar, Matlab South, Matlab North, Faridganj, Hajiganj and Haimchar, who regularly use the road to travel to Dhaka.
Local drivers Mofiz Bakau, Faruk Mia and Kabir Hossain said hundreds of vehicles used the bridge every day, providing residents of the six areas with a relatively direct route to the capital.
Vehicles now have to make a detour of around 15-20 kilometres via Gouripur, increasing travel time, fuel consumption and transport fares, they said.
The disruption has also created serious difficulties for patients and emergency travellers who previously relied on the route for faster access to Dhaka.
Abdul Hamid, an ambulance driver at Chandpur District Sadar Hospital, said the situation was particularly challenging for families transporting critically ill patients to Dhaka.
“Taking critically ill patients through the longer route is causing additional delays and hardship,” he said.
Mojahidul Islam, an engineer with the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Daudkandi upazila, said the government had allocated Tk 6 crore for construction of a new permanent concrete bridge at the site.
“Preliminary work has already begun,” he said, adding that a contractor had been assigned to remove the nuts and bolts from the old and weakened Bailey bridge.
The engineer said the collapse occurred due to flaws in the contractor’s work, but did not provide further details.
He also could not say when direct road communication through the site would be restored.
Meanwhile, local residents have urged the authorities to build a temporary bridge alongside the collapsed structure as an emergency measure so that vehicles and pedestrians can resume direct movement until construction of the permanent bridge is completed.