A photo of a dilapidated bridge is being widely shared on social media platforms, with the claim that it shows a bridge in Gujarat. The same photo is also going viral with claims linking it to Bihar and Kerala (here, here, here, and here). Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo showing a dilapidated bridge in Gujarat.
Fact: The viral photo shows a bridge located in the village of Tepura, in the Amtali sub-district of Barguna district in southern Bangladesh. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To learn more about the viral photo, we conducted a Google reverse image search. This search led us to a report published by the Bangladeshi media outlet ‘BTC News’ on 01 July 2024, featuring the same bridge. According to the report, the bridge is located in the village of Tepura in the Amtali sub-district of Barguna district in southern Bangladesh. An inspection by the Amtali sub-district engineering department found that 26 bridges are in a dangerous condition. On 22 June 2024, a bus fell from one of these bridges into a canal, killing nine people. The report states that authorities conducted a safety inspection of the bridges following this incident. It also mentions that measures have been taken to prevent large vehicles from using the unsafe bridges. Additionally, the report notes that villagers are risking their lives to cross bridges.
According to a report by kalerkantho.com, the bridge is located in Tepura village in Bangladesh. The report further states that the bridge is at least 200 feet long and 10 feet wide. It is said to have been built in 2004 with LGED funds. By the end of 2019, cracks had appeared in various parts of the bridge, and the situation had worsened significantly over the past two years.
We also found that the same picture was shared on the Facebook page called ‘Desi Biker’ on 24 June 2024. According to the information provided on the Facebook page, it is managed by a group from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Many people have commented on the post, indicating that the picture is from Bangladesh. Based on all this information, it is clear that the viral photo shows a bridge in Bangladesh.
To sum up, a photo of a dilapidated bridge from Bangladesh is being falsely shared linking it to Gujarat, India.
