TBM Report
Road communication between Kathalia Upazila headquarters and at least ten surrounding villages has been completely severed after a dilapidated girder bridge collapsed under the weight of a stone-laden truck. The incident occurred late Friday night (May 15, 2026) at the Jorpul Bazar point on the Bandaghata-Kaikhali-Bhandaria regional road. The collapse has left thousands of commuters in Chechri Rampur Union in severe distress.
According to local residents, the truck, carrying approximately 10 tons of stone from Satkhira, was heading toward Shatkura in Kathalia. While crossing the long-neglected and highly vulnerable bridge, the structure gave way under the excessive load. The rear wheels of the truck instantly detached and sank into the canal along with the collapsed girders. Although locals successfully extracted the truck using an excavator on Saturday morning, the road remains entirely impassable.
The sudden collapse has paralyzed vehicular movement, forcing residents to rely on boats or take lengthy detours for essential travel, emergencies, and schooling. Locals expressed frustration, alleging that despite repeated warnings regarding the perilous state of the bridge, the authorities failed to initiate timely renovation or reconstruction.
Following the incident, Mujibur Rahman, Sub-Divisional Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Jhalakathi, inspected the collapsed structure on Saturday afternoon. Speaking to the media, he assured the public that emergency measures are being taken to restore temporary connectivity swiftly. He added that a formal proposal for a permanent and robust concrete bridge at the site would be forwarded to higher authorities immediately.
 at the Jorpul Bazar point on the Bandaghata-Kaikhali-Bhandaria regional road. The collapse has left thousands of commuters in Chechri Rampur Union in severe distress.){kind=link}