Bridge amid crop field now a selfie zone

A bridge built over a canal amid a paddy field at Boro Palashbari Gariyali village in Baliadangi upazila of Thakurgaon district has been lying unused since its construction four years back for lack of connecting roads.

However, fascinated by the beauty of the bridge amid the green filed, many people have started hanging out there taking selfies with it. Some people have even named it Selfie Bridge.

The bridge was constructed in 2016-17 under the bridge and culvert construction project of the Disaster Management Department at a cost of Tk 40 lakh.

Visiting the area of Gariyali village, UNB correspondent found that the bridge is visible on the canal adjacent to Hindupara of that village with no connecting roads on either side. Vehicles do not use the bridge. Even people cannot cross the canal through this bridge on foot. As a result, the bridge is of no use to the locals.

Sirajul Mia, a resident of Hindupara said, “No one knows why the bridge over this canal was built. There was no need for this bridge here. Although the bridge is constructed now, it is useless for the villagers as there is no connecting road.

Boro Palashbari Union Parishad Chairman Aminul Islam said, “I’ve urged the authorities to take steps for the construction of the connecting roads of the bridge as no vehicles can use it now.”

In this regard, Upazila Project Implementation Officer Saidur Rahman said that they are taking steps to construct a road connecting the bridge.

Meanwhile, Baliadangi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jobayer Hossain said, “The bridge was constructed before I joined. I wasn’t aware of the fact that people cannot use the bridge even after the construction.”

Necessary steps will be taken after inspecting the bridge, said the UNO.