Risky bailey bridges. Photo : BSS

KHAGRACHARI, Feb 24, 2025 (BSS) - The risky bailey bridges built in 1990s for six months during the emergency period in Khagrachari are almost collapsing, causing sufferings for the tourists going to Sajek, a popular tourist spot in the district. 

"There are eight risky bailey bridges on Dighinala-Sajek Road, Dighinala-Longdu Road, Dighinala-Sajek and Panchhari Road. It is becoming urgent to build concrete bridges instead of those to secure the movement of passengers and goods through buses and trucks," General Secretary of Khagrachari Road Transport Owners Association, Rokon Uddin told BSS. 

Although vehicles weighing more than five tons are prohibited from plying on these bridges to avoid risks, no one is following this. 

Accidents are almost always happening on these bridges. Locals are demanding the construction of concrete girder bridges instead of a bailey bridges to avoid accidents.

According to the Khagrachari Road and Highways Department, the Boalkhali Bailey Bridge was built in the 1990 over the Maini River of Dighinala on the Khagrachari-Sajek road. 

This bridge used to collapse in regular interval for over weight of trucks carrying timber. This has caused suffering to the residents of Baghaichhari Upazila, including tourists going to Sajek.

The same is happened with the bailey bridges in the Chaumuni area of the Dighinala-Longadu road. Recently, the bridge collapsed due to overweight a timber carrying truck, blocking road communication between Longadu and Baghaichhari Upazilas and the rest of the country. 

Superintendent Engineer of Roads and Highway Department, Rangamati Circle, Mofazzal Haider said," A project has already been taken to construct permanent bridges instead of bailey bridges."