The inauguration of the long-awaited Saheb-er Char–Kachirchar Bridge over the Arial Khan River in Barisal was foiled by an angry crowd on Saturday before the arrival of Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.
Chairs and the bridge nameplate were damaged, forcing the event to be canceled.
The incident took place at noon at Najirpur union of Muladi upazila in the district.
Witnesses said that the bridge, constructed under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives, is still under construction.
Locals were angered by the renaming of the bridge to “36 July Bridge” and the exclusion of former Finance Secretary Emdadul Haque Majnu, who contributed to the project, from the ceremony.
Muladi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shafiqul Islam said that the event was disrupted by the crowd but no casualties were reported.
Shawon Khan/MHK