Staff Reporter:
Around 30,000 people in four villages of Ramgati upazila in Lakshmipur have been suffering for more than two weeks after a road connecting a newly built bridge collapsed, disrupting communication in the area.
The road on both sides of the bridge at Rahmatpur on Boyarchar Road in Ward No. 5 of Chargazi union collapsed on 9 September amid continuous rain and strong tidal currents in the Meghna River.
The bridge was constructed in 2025 by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The collapse has disrupted traffic on the Ramgati-Boyarchar road, causing serious difficulties for residents of Mollagram, Sental Bazar and Tegachia Bazar and surrounding areas.
Local residents said trucks, vans, auto-rickshaws and CNG-run vehicles regularly use the road to transport agricultural produce, essential commodities and other goods from the char areas. Students, worshippers and people travelling to schools and madrasas are also facing difficulties.
Residents Akkas Ali and Dulal Mia said their suffering had continued for 16 days despite informing the local administration and the LGED office. Sheikh Farid, a member of Ward No. 5 of Chargazi Union Parishad, said communication between the char areas and other parts of the upazila had been severely disrupted.
“We have contacted the upazila LGED office and administration several times, but no effective action has been taken. We urge the authorities to repair the road as soon as possible,” he said.
Ramgati Upazila LGED Engineer Snehal Roy said officials would be sent to the site to assess the situation and take immediate measures. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said he would ask the concerned department to take prompt steps considering the public suffering.
