There is no canal on either side, yet a bridge has been built — and a fresh complication has been added: there are homesteads at both ends of the bridge, so building the approach road could cut off the movement of several families. According to the office of the LGED executive engineer in Jhalakathi, a 10-metre RCC slab bridge was built in the Godanda area of Subidpur union, on the Fultala RHD road along the Manpasha GC-Taltala-Bhabanipur-Nachanmahal union road, under the BDIRWSP project. The work was allocated 3 crore 79 lakh 54 thousand 313 taka and 96 paisa, implemented by contractor MS Islam Brothers; it began on 7 February 2024 and was due to finish on 18 November 2025. The contractor has already been paid 74 lakh 16 thousand 179 taka.
According to local sources, the bridge was built at a spot where a box culvert once stood over a small canal; with a slab bridge now built there, the canal has effectively been closed. If an approach road is built to make the bridge functional, several neighbouring families fear losing their path. Residents allege the bridge was built without proper planning. The affected — Abbas Hawlader, Morsheda Begum, Jamal and Sabuj — said: “To make this bridge usable, the road will have to pass in front of our homes. That will cut off our movement. We want a solution.”
Locals also allege that the project’s responsible officer (SO), sub-assistant engineer Moinul Azam, committed irregularities in collusion with the contractor and district Awami League treasurer Monirul Islam Talukder. Denying the allegation, sub-assistant engineer Moinul Azam said: “I have committed no irregularity. Alternative passage will be arranged for the affected families.” Upazila engineer Azizul Haque said: “The bridge was built at the site of an earlier culvert. Some complications have indeed arisen, but we are already reviewing the matter. Necessary steps will be taken on how to build the approach road without harming local people.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report