No bridge, students risk river daily

For years, residents of several villages in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat have been enduring a perilous daily commute, compelled by the absence of a bridge over the Singimari River in the Samshernagar area of Kuchlibari Union to rely on makeshift banana-plant rafts in order to cross the waterway.

Every morning, schoolchildren clutching their books and bags undertake this hazardous journey, notwithstanding the constant risk of falling into the river; moreover, rising water levels render the crossing considerably more treacherous, prompting some families to keep their children home from school altogether. During examinations, students reportedly arrive at the riverbank two to three hours early merely to await passage by boat, while sudden mishaps can leave books soaked and school uniforms ruined. Afsana Akter and Ria Moni, both students, said they cross the river in fear every single day, urging the authorities to construct a bridge without further delay.

The absence of a bridge has, furthermore, severely disrupted emergency healthcare, firefighting and agricultural activities alike: critically ill patients and pregnant women struggle to reach hospitals in time, fire-service vehicles cannot access the area when needed, and farmers face considerable difficulty transporting their produce to markets. Although residents allege that elected representatives have repeatedly promised a bridge ahead of elections, this commitment has remained unfulfilled for decades. However, Patgram Upazila Nirbahi Officer (additional charge) Dibajan Mitra said the administration had taken note of the longstanding problem, adding that an engineering team would soon inspect the site, after which a project would be undertaken on an urgent basis to facilitate construction of the much-needed bridge.

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Whether this latest assurance breaks the cycle of unfulfilled promises, however, remains to be seen; in the meantime, villagers continue to entrust their safety, and that of their children, to little more than bundled banana stems.