The long-awaited Mawlana Bhashani Bridge over the Teesta River, inaugurated just one day ago, has already faced theft. Around 300 meters of electric cable were stolen, leaving the bridge in complete darkness at night. Locals expressed frustration and anger, saying this incident shows poor security and accountability.
Bridge Inauguration and Theft
The newly built Teesta Second Bridge, now named Mawlana Bhashani Bridge, brought joy to the people of Gaibandha and Kurigram after years of waiting. The bridge was inaugurated on Wednesday (August 20) by Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, Cooperatives, Youth, and Sports.
Shockingly, just one day after the inauguration, around 300 meters of electric cable were stolen from the bridge. This has caused complete darkness in the area after sunset. The theft was discovered on Thursday (August 21) evening.
Read More: Islamic Writer Shafiur Rahman Farabi Released After 11 Years
How the Theft Was Discovered
According to local sources, electricity was supposed to be connected to the lamp posts on Thursday evening. But the lights did not turn on. After checking, it was found that the electric cable from the Haripur point had been cut and stolen by thieves.
Later at 10:30 PM, Upazila Sub-Assistant Engineer Mahbubur Rahman Milon confirmed the incident.
He said:
“Because the cable was stolen, we could not start the electricity connection, and the bridge is still in darkness.”
Local Anger and Reactions
The incident created anger and frustration among locals. Many people shared their disappointment on social media.
One Facebook user wrote:
“It is sad that we could not resist the temptation of stealing just a small cable.”
Another commented:
“Maybe after some days, they will even break the bridge and steal the rods!”
Cost and Features of the Bridge
The 1,490-meter-long bridge has been built under the supervision of LGED (Local Government Engineering Department).
-
Cost: Tk 925 crore
-
Funding: Government of Bangladesh (GOB), Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)
-
Width: 9.6 meters
-
Total spans: 31
-
Lanes: 2
-
Land acquired: Around 133 acres (for roads and river management)
Mawlana Bhashani Bridge was expected to ease communication in northern Bangladesh, but this early theft has raised serious concerns about security and maintenance.
Source: Daily Inqilab
