Staff Reporter

Dissatisfaction has grown over the poor progress of ‘Sirajganj-Bagbati-Gosaibari’ road development and extension project even after withdrawing 75 percent of the total bills.

There are allegations that, the two construction firms named Messrs Jamil Ikbal and Moinuddin Banshi Construction in collaboration with the former and incumbent Executive Engineers (Exen) and Sub-Divisional Engineers (SDE) of Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Sirajganj withdrew about 75 percent of the bills without completing at least 30 percent work.

Besides, due to lack of proper monitoring by the authorities concerned, the work of the project is going on at a snail’s pace. As a result, commuters are facing immense sufferings during their movements through the road, insiders said.

Sources of RHD said, the work of the mentioned project was undertaken by the currently ousted Awami League government in July of 2020 last under supervision of RHD. The work orders were given to the two construction firms with two packages involving at Tk 117 crore. The 21 kilometers long and 18 foot wide Road Network Upgrading Project work is scheduled to be completed by the upcoming June. But, it is matter of dissatisfaction that, at least 10 kilometers of the road has still remained out of work.

Though, highest 30 percent of the work has been done by the contractors, it was raised question over its scheduled standard.

Locals complained that, the then engineers of the RHD in Sirajganj with the assistant of local Awami League leaders and cadres have grabbed the lands of people including Hindus for the work without any legal acquisition. As a result, the victims have become deprived of their financial benefits against their own properties.

Nirmal Ghosh, a resident of Bramhagachha union of Raiganj upazila said, “RHD is implementing the project grabbing my paternal lands. But, they (officials) didn’t provide me compensation. Even, they didn’t assure me to compensate in future. Consequently, I am in frustration over my future.”

Sunil Ghosh, resident of the same area has brought similar allegation saying that, his tea stall, which was his only means of income, was demolished by the RHD using veku (excavator). But, why they did so without completion of land acquisition, he raised question.

It is come to know that, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) constructed the 12 foot wide Gremeen (rural) road with the aim to ease the communication for over 5 lakh people in 30 villages under 10 unions of Dhunot upazila in Bogura, Kazipur and Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj district few years ago.

Later, the expansion work was given to RHD. In the project, Tk 100 crore was allocated for acquisition of 94 acres land and rest money for expansion work. But, the land acquisition work has not yet been completed in the last four and half years. Though, the work progress is in dissatisfactory level, allegation has raised that bulk portion of the bills has been withdrawn against the project after completing partial work.

In this situation, anti-discrimination student movement’s district unit is moving towards to stage demonstrations against the corruption and anomalies of the RHD officials and the concerned contractors, sources said.

Nabo Kumar Karmakar, former Joint Convener of Sirajganj Shwartha Rakkha Songram Committee said that, RHD engineers were involved with submitting many fake projects during the ousted Awami League government. They withdrew crores of Taka without works or completing partial work. They cheated with the nation and made them hostage. This is why, there is needed fair and transparent investigation in this regard.

Saiful Islam, Executive Engineer of LGED in Sirajganj said, “We constructed the road firstly to make the communication of about 5 lakh people smooth. The RHD took the responsibility of the road expansion in 2019-20 financial years technically. But, there is no reason to take so much time to implement the expansion project.”

Jahidur Rahman Milu, Divisional Engineer of RHD said, “About 40 percent of the total bills might have been provided to the two constructions firms. So, there is no scope of irregularities. We however, will see the matter sincerely.”

Imran Farhan Sumel, Executive Engineer of RHD in Sirajganj said, “Only Tk 25 crore was received by the RHD against the demand of Tk 100 crore for land acquisition. The money has already transferred to the land acquisition section of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Besides, we have paid Tk 88 crore out of total allocation to the two construction firm on condition of implementing about 50 to 60 percent work. Due to complexities over land acquisition, the progress of the project has become some less compared to the time.”

Nazrul Islam, Deputy Commissioner in Sirajganj said, “The matter will be taken seriously to resolve the problems of commuters.”