Staff Correspondent

To restore transport networks disrupted by the turbulent Bishkhali River flowing through Barguna and Jhalakathi districts, three Members of Parliament have submitted official semi-official (D.O.) letters seeking the construction of permanent bridges. While their shared goal is to ease long-standing transit hardships, the lawmakers have recommended three distinct locations for the projects.

To spur coastal development and regional commerce, Barguna-2 MP and Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam Moni and Jhalakathi-1 MP Rafiqul Islam Jamal have forwarded their respective proposals to the relevant government authorities.

In his letter to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Chief Whip.of the National Parliament and Barguna-2 MP Md. Nurul Islam Moni urged the construction of a roughly 2.50-kilometer bridge at the Kakchira Bainchatki and Baraitala points in Patharghata upazila. He noted that the river divides his constituency, forcing commuters to rely on slow ferry services. He emphasized that the route links Pirojpur-3, Barguna town, the Kuakata tourist zone, and the Payra seaport, and a bridge here would streamline connections to Khulna, the Mongla port, and national trade corridors.

Meanwhile, Jhalakathi-1 MP Rafiqul Islam Jamal submitted separate proposals to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) for two different sites along the Bishkhali River.

In his letter to the RHD chief engineer, he recommended a permanent bridge at the existing Kochua-Betagi ferry point in Kathalia upazila. He pointed out that because RHD has already completed land acquisition and road paving along the route—which connects to the Benapole land port via Patuakhali, Pirojpur, and Bagerhat—the project could be executed rapidly without added land costs.

In a separate letter to the LGED Chief Engineer on the same day, the Jhalakathi-1 MP requested a 600-meter bridge at the Baroyia-Niamati point in Rajapur upazila. According to LGED estimates, a bridge at this site would shorten travel distances for vehicles currently detouring via the Barishal Rupatali bus stand from 110 kilometers to 30–40 kilometers, saving fuel and cutting city congestion.

Local commuters and business owners have welcomed the initiatives, expressing hope that government bodies will conduct comprehensive technical and hydrological surveys to prioritize bridge construction across the river.