Construction of the Gorai Bridge, a 650-meter structure intended to connect Shreepur upazila of Magura district with Pangsha upazila of Rajbari district, remains unfinished six years after work began. The project, funded through the Critical Infrastructure in Rural Roads initiative, is aimed at enhancing road connectivity between Rajbari, Magura, and Jhenaidah districts. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of Rajbari oversees the project, which is being executed by MM Builders Engineering, owned by Mir Habibul Alam.

Work on the bridge commenced on June 3, 2020, with an expected completion date of June 3, 2023. However, that deadline has been extended three times due to various challenges, including difficulties in installing bridge spans and acquiring the necessary land for the approach roads. According to LGED executive engineer Mahmud Hasan, recent approvals and fund allocations have addressed some of the land acquisition issues, raising hopes for the project’s completion in the near future.

Field observations revealed that several key structural components—including four spans and two girders—have yet to be installed. While sand filling for the approach roads is ongoing in Magura and Jhenaidah, only a small number of workers remain on the Rajbari side. Abdul Hamid, a representative of the contractor company, indicated that finishing the bridge could take approximately another year.

Local residents expressed frustration over the prolonged delays, citing the bridge’s importance for daily travel and economic activity. Md Abdullah, a ninth-grade student of Langalbandh High School living in Pangsha, said the incomplete bridge forces him and many others to rely on boats to cross the Gorai river—a process he described as both time-consuming and risky. Md Zakirul Islam, assistant headteacher at Langalbandh High School, noted that about 50 students from the Rajbari side struggle with irregular attendance due to the difficulty of crossing by boat, and that completing the bridge would improve student safety and access.

Farmers and other villagers also underscored the inconvenience caused by the lack of a bridge. Shahidul Islam, a local farmer, explained that transporting agricultural goods to markets like Langalbandh remains challenging and inefficient without direct road access.

Tanzina Khatun, a resident of Naduria village, expressed skepticism that the bridge would be finished in the near future, highlighting the community’s longstanding wait. Officials and contractors, however, maintain that with recent progress on land acquisition and funding, the project should be completed within the next year.