A 180-meter-long bridge has been constructed over the Sangu River in the remote Bolipara Union of Thanchi Upazila in Bandarban. 

 

Built at a cost of 21 crore taka with funding from the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board, this bridge is set to transform the lives of at least 10,000 people across 14 villages in this remote area. Not only that, but it will also bring revolutionary changes to agriculture, improve the quality of life for locals, and enhance healthcare, communication, and the tourism sector.

 

On-site observations reveal that a visually stunning 180-meter-long bridge has been constructed over the Sangu River in the remote Bolipara Union of Thanchi Upazila in Bandarban. This has established road connectivity with 14 villages in the upazila and union. The villages, including Bolipara, Kyachu Para, Satishchandra Para, Basil Maro Para, Hanram Para, Adiga Para, Ramdu Para, and Jatun Para, are home to thousands of families. Due to the remoteness of these areas, the residents have lagged in education, healthcare, and communication. Since independence, the absence of road connectivity forced students, traders, and villagers to travel by river or on foot. Moreover, transporting sick patients to hospitals or marketing agricultural products often led to extreme hardships. Many times, due to the inability to transport produce in time, agricultural products from jhum cultivation would rot in the fields. Additionally, the inability to quickly take critically ill patients to hospitals has led to untimely deaths among many locals. These hardships would multiply several times during the monsoon season. Considering these difficulties, construction of the 180-meter-long bridge over the Sangu River in Bolipara began in 2019, funded by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board. With the recent completion of the bridge, road connectivity has been established with Thanchi Upazila and the district town. This has made transportation of agricultural products and travel easier for locals. Moreover, the bridge has facilitated internal communication between various unions. After years of struggle, the locals are overjoyed with the establishment of road connectivity.

 

Chhla Mong Marma, a resident of Bolipara, said, "Since the time of our forefathers, people in this area have relied on river routes for travel. There was no road connectivity. As a result, many have lost their lives during the monsoon due to strong river currents. Boats were not always available, and we had to wait for hours at the riverbank. Due to the lack of timely boat services, farmers couldn’t market their agricultural products, students couldn’t reach schools on time, and patients faced immense suffering." He added, "Now, with the bridge built with funding from the Development Board, we have gained many conveniences. The hardships faced by locals, students, and farmers have been alleviated. We are very happy with the bridge, but the roads on both sides of the bridge have become somewhat unfit for travel. If these roads are repaired, it would greatly benefit us."

 

Meanwhile, the Executive Engineer of the Bandarban Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board commented that the bridge will strengthen regional security and bring economic changes for locals. He said, "Around 10,000 people live in 12–14 villages in the Thanchi Bolipara area, all of whom depend on jhum cultivation. Without a bridge, they couldn’t market their produce on time, leading to economic losses. Considering these hardships, the bridge was constructed with funding from the Development Board. This will allow farmers to easily market their agricultural products, bringing revolutionary changes to agriculture in these areas. It will also improve education, healthcare, and communication systems significantly."

 

According to the Bandarban Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board, in the 2019–20 fiscal year, a PC girder bridge spanning over 180 meters, along with a 70-meter RCC road, was constructed in the Bolipara Union market area over the Sangu River. The project was implemented by the contractor firm Mezba Associates at a cost of 21 crore taka. With the bridge’s completion, locals can now easily transport agricultural products to markets in no time. Among the three hill districts, this newly constructed girder bridge over the Sangu River in Bolipara is the most visually striking.