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A 750-metre bridge over the Jadukata River in Sunamganj was supposed to be completed in just 30 months. Eight years later, the project remains unfinished, with officials now saying it may take another two years to complete.
The bridge, officially named the Shah Arefin (Rah.)–Advaita Mahaprabhu Maitree Bridge, connects Gorkati in Badaghat Union with Binnakuli village in Tahirpur upazila, near the Indian border. Once completed, it will be the longest bridge in Sunamganj district.
Construction began in March 2018, with a budget of Tk 85.99 crore. The original deadline was September 2020.
But the project has repeatedly missed its deadlines. For the past four years, residents have been told that the bridge would be completed by the following June. Now, the target has been pushed to June 2028.
The project suffered another setback on May 19, when five girders collapsed into the river while construction work was underway. Work has remained suspended since then.
Mohammad Anwar Hossain, assistant engineer at the Sunamganj office of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), said around 30% of the work remains incomplete.
He said the contract with the previous contractor, Toma Construction, has been terminated and a new tender has been invited for the remaining work. The tender process is expected to be completed this month, after which the remaining work could take another two years.
LGED data show that 15 pillars have been completed, along with 53 of the planned 75 girders and 10 of 15 slabs.
Local residents accuse the contractor of repeatedly neglecting the project. They say work was suspended at different times, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, floods, rising construction costs and transportation difficulties.
Despite repeated warnings from LGED, progress remained slow. Toma Construction reportedly abandoned the site last June and later resumed work before being removed following the collapse of the five girders in May.
Local environmentalist and haor development activist Kasmir Reza said residents have held human chains and other programmes to protest the prolonged delay.
The bridge is expected to create a direct road link from Tahirpur through Madhyanagar to Netrokona and onward to Dhaka. Road connectivity has already been established up to Mahishkhola in Madhyanagar, allowing people to travel there directly from Dhaka. But the unfinished bridge continues to disrupt the route.
The project is also considered important for tourism. The Jadukata River area is home to the shrine of Shah Arefin, the birthplace of Shri Shri Advaita Mahaprabhu, and a nearby border haat.
The region also features the country’s largest Shimul garden, Barik Tila, Tanguar Haor, Lakmachhara, Shahid Siraj Lake (Niladri Lake) and Tekerg hat, attracting thousands of visitors every day.
The bridge would also improve access to border customs stations at Bogchhara, Charagaon and Bagli, which are frequently visited by traders from Sunamganj town.
Kamaruzzaman Kamrul, MP for Sunamganj-1, said residents should not have to wait indefinitely for a bridge that has already taken eight years to build. He said he had instructed the authorities to appoint a new contractor and complete the work as quickly as possible.
Residents also say the bridge could reduce the risks associated with crossing the Jadukata River by boat. Accidents occur almost every year, sometimes resulting in deaths.
For locals, however, the repeated promise of completion by “next June” has become a symbol of the project’s endless delays. After eight years, they remain uncertain whether the latest June 2028 deadline will finally bring the long-awaited bridge into service.