The Government of Bangladesh has taken initiative for the construction (bridging gaps) of new rural bridges as well as the replacement, capacity expansion, rehabilitation and maintenance of existing rural bridges on Upazila Roads (UZR) and Union Roads (UNR) through this program.
The program is being implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) through the Program Director’s Office and contract administration of civil works has been carried out by LGED District/Upazila offices. The program is being implemented in total 61 districts out of 64 districts of the country.
The program Components include major and minor maintenance of 85,000 meters of bridges, rehabilitation of 24,000 meters of bridges, Capacity Expansion (Widened) of 5000 meters of rural bridges, replacement or newly construction of 20,000 meters of bridges and strengthening of institutional capacity of LGED through various activities at a cost of Tk. 497100 Lacs.
The Program Development Objective is to enhance rural connectivity, to improve the preservation and climate resiliency of rural bridge assets, and to strengthen institutional capacity for the development, maintenance and management of rural bridge assets. This is being achieved through the maintenance, capacity expansion or replacement of existing rural bridges, the construction of rural bridges on existing gaps and taking measures for enhancing capacities for planning, implementation and management of rural bridge activities.
“Following construction of the bridges ranging from minimum 8.6 to maximum 85.5-metre in lengths with 4.5-metre in width, people of 38 unions in these 4 upazilas are reaping benefits of easy movement and transportation of agri-products to get fair price,” he said.
Talking to Project Field Residential Engineer of Chuadanga district. Md. Nashir Uddin said 17 bridges have been maintained spending Taka 1.80 crore in with a view to developing rural communication networks in 4 upazilas of the district.
“Following construction of the bridges ranging from minimum 8.6 to maximum 85.5-metre in lengths with 4.5-metre in width, people of 38 unions in these 4 upazilas are reaping benefits of easy movement and transportation of agri-products to get fair price,” he said.
Talking to Sr. Assistant Engi, Chuadanga Rafiqur Rahman Khan said 17 bridges have been constructed spending Taka 1.80 crore in all 38 unions of the 4 upazilas in last two years.
The infrastructures have been constructed at different points on the rural roads, canals and rivers in all 38 unions of the upazila.
“Besides, construction works of 14 more bridges at a cost of Taka 23.35 crore are progressing fast during the current 2023-24 FY in the upazila under the project,” Assistant Engi. said. Talking to our survey team, Chairman of Jahela union in Alamdanga upazila Md. Shilon Ali said 11 bridges have been constructed in the union alone in last three years improving rural road communications and ending sufferings of two lakh people.
“In addition to this, construction works of 14 more bridges at Taka 23.35 crore are progressing at different places during the current 2023-24 FY under the project to further improve rural road communications in 4 upazilas XEN said.
Md. Shilon Ali, the Chairman, 09 No. Jehala Union Parishad said construction of the bridges has fulfilled long-cherished demand of local people improving road communications all over the upazila as well as adjoining areas.
Damurhuda Upazila Chairman and Damurhuda Upazila Nirbahi Officer expressed satisfaction over quality of construction works of the bridges those improved road communications in the upazila.
The project plan includes a total of 125000 metres of bridges on upazila and union roads to establish uninterrupted communications in the rural areas. Kamal said lack of adequate communications in the rural areas leads to water-logging, difficulty in agriculture, poor disaster management and severe setbacks in commuting. But after the development works this problem has been reduced and the number of motorized vehicles has tremendously increased and people are also eager to use them because of speed and convenience.
Expected Beneficiaries. The project will benefit a population of over 1 million in the Chudanga district and some part of Meherpur, Jhenaidah and Kustia District. It will also provide a safer and more efficient connectivity link for passenger and freight traffic from different roads to connect to the highway to Dhaka. It is anticipated that these will result in greater integration of local markets with national markets and growth generation in the north- central region.
While talking to the people it was known that the average volume of all types of motorized traffic moving daily around the 4 bridges area is about 13,200 vehicles, three-wheelers being two-thirds of the traffic. The main traffic source for the new bridge is expected to come from diversion from the existing adjacent area.
The bridge is to reduce travel time between Dhaka division and the southwest by five to ten hours for trucks and around two hours for vehicles and buses.
The women crossing the bridge were almost never empty-handed. They were wearing babies or ushering children, herding animals, carrying loads of crops or clothes or household goods, or shouldering pitcher of water. We visited four more bridges on that trip, and I’ve walked across the bridges since, and the story has always been the same: for women.
Conclusion:
The major objectives of this M & E visit were to review the construction status of the bridge on upazila and union roads under the project, rapid supply of agricultural inputs, marketing of agricultural products in a better way, increase in agricultural products, expansion of agro based industries in the project areas, generation of employment opportunities under the project. The improved communication network, improved marketing facilities and ensuring fair prices to the producers enhances buying capacity of the rural poor which improve the quality of lifestyle and socio-economic condition of the rural people.
A country’s economic development generally depends on the degree of infrastructural development of that country. After analyzing all data and information it can be conclude that overall significant economic development would be possible specially in large areas like quality of life, communication and transport development, potential productivity and skill of people.
The opening of 4 bridges is comparable to a new beginning in terms of ideas, efforts, words, and deeds to carry out the goal and vision. Therefore, in order to keep these 4 bridges in good and usable shape, the relevant authorities should check them and maintain them effectively.