The Bangladesh Railway is using wooden and bamboo sticks instead of iron equipment at rickety Teesta Rail Bridge in Lalmonirhat, posing high risk of fatal accidents.
A visit on Wednesday afternoon found that instead of iron sheets and wooden planks were used on the wooden sleepers and some dry tree branches were used instead of nuts at different points on the bridge.
The bridge does not have nuts and bolts in most places while most of the wooden sleepers are damaged at many parts.
The train passengers expressed their extreme concern over the situation.聽
The railway officials, however, said that there is no cause for concern.
Several sources in the Lalmonirhat divisional railway office, seeking anonymity, said that the bridge has expired much earlier and turned shaky.聽
Different parts of the bridge were stolen aggravating its poor condition, they said.聽
They also said that at least Tk 4 lakh is allocated for the maintenance of the Teesta Rail Bridge every year.
They demanded investigation that how the allocated money is being used.
Earlier in March, the railway authorities used bamboo instead of concrete in the maintenance work of the 2,110 feet bridge.
But within two months, wood, tree branches and bamboo sticks were used again instead of nuts to hold the fishplates.
According to Lalmonirhat divisional railway sources, 32 pair of trains, including inter-city, commuter and local, use the Teesta Bridge connecting Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts every day.
Local people alleged that when the trains cross the bridge loud jolts occur.
Railway officials said that the iron nut bolts for the railway line are no longer available and bamboo nails and wood are being used instead to carry out temporary work.
Lalmonirhat divisional railway engineer Ahsan Habib said that these are not the parts of the main structure of the bridge.
As these are not associated with the bridge or train movement, there is no reason to worry about it, he said.
Lalmonirhat divisional railway manager Abdus Salam said that he would look into the matter and take action.