Ribbon-cutting ceremony for community-funded bamboo bridge in Barishal sparks online criticism
Photo Collected
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a makeshift bamboo bridge in the Mahar area of Wazirpur Municipality, Barishal, has ignited a wave of social media criticism and public debate. The structure was inaugurated last Thursday afternoon by Shahidul Islam Khan, president of the municipal unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The bridge, which spans approximately 50 feet, was constructed using bamboo and areca nut palm trunks. Residents financed the project themselves to mitigate long-standing connectivity issues. According to local inhabitants, the existing herring-bone road on the north bank of the canal is in a dilapidated state and frequently submerges during high tide, causing significant hardship for local fishermen and area residents.
During Thursday’s ceremony, which was attended by local residents and several BNP activists, a Baul folk singer performed an original song atop the structure. Shortly thereafter, a video featuring Shahidul Islam Khan cutting a red ribbon to mark the opening of the bridge was posted on the Facebook account of one of his supporters.
The footage quickly went viral, drawing sharp and satirical commentary from social media users. Some critics likened the event to the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, while others sarcastically suggested the bamboo structure was akin to a “flyover” built over a paved road. Many users also ridiculed the formality of using scissors for such a rudimentary construction.
Defending the event, Shahidul Islam Khan expressed pride in the initiative, stating that he was pleased to inaugurate a project aimed at facilitating movement for the local population.
While some BNP leaders declined to comment on the matter, several senior members of the party—speaking on condition of anonymity—suggested that while the effort to improve local infrastructure is positive, a high-ranking political figure should exercise greater caution regarding the optics of such ceremonies.
Resident Humayun Khan reiterated that the project was a community-led response to the chronic flooding that disrupts daily life for those living near the canal. Despite the public backlash over the fanfare surrounding the bridge, residents maintained that the structure is a necessary measure to address their ongoing transportation challenges.
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