Four people were injured when a section of an old bridge collapsed into a canal in Pirojpur on Saturday while they were returning after a cleanliness drive aimed at clearing government canals and preventing dengue.
District Commissioner Abu Saeed, Municipal Administrator Mahamudur Rahman Mamun, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Iftekharul Islam Shamim and other officials narrowly escaped the accident.
The incident occurred around noon on a bridge over the Buddhapara Canal near the PTI area in Pirojpur municipality.
The injured were identified as Supati Halder Chanchal, a surveyor of Pirojpur Municipality; Naim Talukder, general secretary of volunteer organisation Positive Pirojpur and Pirojpur correspondent of GTV; Jubayer Al Mamun, vice-president of the organisation; and social worker Gazi Kamruzzaman Shubhra.
The cleanliness campaign began around 9am as part of efforts to prevent dengue and free government canals from illegal occupation. The district administration, municipality, NGOs and volunteer organisations jointly conducted cleaning activities at Napitkhali Canal in Shikarpur, Kumarkhali Canal near Policeline Road and the canal beside the PTI-Buddhapara area.
After inspecting the mouth of the Buddhapara Canal, the officials were returning when several people crossed the old bridge. Suddenly, a section of the bridge collapsed, causing the four people to fall into the canal and sustain injuries.
The district commissioner and municipal administrator were standing near the end of the bridge at the time and narrowly escaped falling into the canal.
Following the incident, the injured were rescued and taken to Pirojpur District Hospital by Municipal Administrator Mahamudur Rahman Mamun. One of them was admitted, while the other three received primary treatment.
District Commissioner Abu Saeed, District Council Administrator Principal Alamgir Hossain and NSI Joint Director Md Mizanur Rahman visited the hospital and inquired about the injured.
Locals said the old bridge had been in a risky condition for a long time. They urged the authorities to inspect other vulnerable bridges and culverts across the district and take immediate measures to prevent further accidents.
