Repair hazardous bridges, save lives

Some bridges in Bangladesh are not just means of crossing rivers and canals; they are death traps. The recent incident in Amtali, Barguna, has left the entire nation in shock. Yesterday, Saturday (June 22), a microbus carrying wedding guests fell into a canal after a bridge collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 10 people. All the victims were women and children. The accident occurred around 2 PM in the Haldia area. The incident was confirmed by the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Amtali Police Station, Kazi Shakhawat Hossain Tapu. The news has deeply saddened people across the country.

According to information obtained from the media, this iron bridge was constructed during the 2005-06 fiscal year under the BNP and coalition government. Before the bridge was built, there was a bamboo footbridge in the area. To alleviate the local hardship, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) undertook a project to build a bridge for pedestrians. This bridge was primarily intended for people to walk across.

A warning notice had been posted on the bridge, built nearly twenty years ago, to caution against its use. The sub-district engineer stated that the accident occurred because this warning was ignored. The question arises: why did the driver drive onto the bridge despite the warning? Why didn't the passengers stop him? Why didn't they get out of the vehicle before it went onto the bridge? Their carelessness cost them their lives. Why didn't the authorities enforce legal measures to ensure no one could ignore the warning notice?

Now, who is to blame? Ten lives have been lost. This loss is irreparable for the families. The joy of a wedding has turned into deep sorrow. There are countless such bridges in Bangladesh that are extremely hazardous. Many dangerous bridges can be seen even on highways. A notice is posted in front of them, saying "Dangerous Bridge," and that's it. Despite their perilous condition, these bridges must still be crossed.

The people in our country are generally not very aware of these issues. When they go out on the roads, they essentially entrust their lives to the drivers. The drivers themselves are often not conscious of the risks. The administration also doesn't seem to take proactive measures. As a result, such accidents continue to claim lives on the roads incessantly.

To save people from such unexpected accidents, the general public needs to be more aware, and the administration must take a more proactive role. Hazardous bridges need to be identified and promptly repaired. The administration must enforce strict legal measures to ensure that no heavy vehicles can cross hazardous bridges. We desire to prevent such tragic loss of life from leaving us in shock.