Thousands of residents across ten villages in Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh are facing severe hardship due to the collapse of a bamboo bridge over the Kharia River in Payari Union. The bridge, built with local funds between Garpayari and Guptargaon villages, has long served as the only crossing point. With part of the structure now broken, small vehicles can no longer pass, worsening daily struggles for the community.

According to local sources, villagers had replaced an old ferry service with the bamboo bridge about 15 years ago, using bamboo poles and split trunks of chaul trees. The fragile structure frequently collapses, forcing residents to repair it several times a year at their own expense. Guptargaon, a major producer of vegetables and other crops, suffers most as farmers must travel an extra five kilometers to reach markets.

Upazila engineer Jahangir Alam stated that a proposal has been submitted to build a 95-meter permanent bridge over the Kharia River and improve the connecting road. He dismissed claims that previously allocated funds were diverted elsewhere.