Rangpur, July 20 -- The stalled construction of a bridge over the 'Dead Teesta River' in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur has left the residents of five remote char villages facing severe hardship, cut off from key services and facilities for years.

Despite the completion of its pillar work four years ago, no further progress has been made on the 76-metre bridge at Masterpara in Dakkhin Thakurdas area, as the funding issues continue to cripple the project.

Locals from Char Chatura, Mayar Char, Char Uttar Thakurdas, Char Pallimari and Char Najirdah villages rely on this route to access Banglabazar, the upazila headquarters and Haragachh municipality.

With the bridge remained incomplete, their daily lives remain disrupted.

The Haragachh munici...