Special Correspondent:

Though, the interim government is determined to follow the austerity policy in different public projects with the aim to reduce unnecessary costs, Roads and Highways Department through SASEC-II Project is still involved with spending additional and unnecessary money in the name of constructing arcade of Nuclear scientist late Dr. Wazed Ali Mian, also husband of recently ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (termed as fascist).

Meanwhile, an arcade of Dr. Wazed Ali Mian has been constructed by the concerned officers and contractors of SASEC-II Project under supervision of Roads and Highway Department at Fatehpur in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur district wasting a big sum of the project money, which has created anger among the people of all walks of life including politicians and socio-cultural activists.

Experts said, such unnecessary installations basically add additional costs to the project that is seriously harmful for the country’s economy. Besides, Dr. Wazed Ali Mian was son-in-law of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and husband of Awami League Chairperson Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country on August 5 putting the nation at an unbalance situation.

Local BNP leaders and activists demanded removal of the arcade (portrait) from Fatehpur of Pirganj in Rangpur district as soon as possible and exclude such as cost from the project fund to save the government money.

Rangpur Metropolitan BNP Convener Shamsuzzaman Samu said, “We condemn such move of the project authorities. If such as portrait of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is existence on the upgraded highway, it will be a symbol of patronizing and rehabilitating the Awami League and its associates. So, the government as well as Roads and Highways Department should take immediate steps to minimize the portion of Dr. Wazed Ali Mian’s arcade from the project design. If the necessary steps are not taken right now, Rangpur BNP and people from different walks of life will go for tougher agitation in future.

Member Secretary of the local BNP Adv. Mahfuz-Un-Nabi Don said, “It is very shameful for the protesters, who lost and sacrificed their lives during the July-August uprising. No portrait of Awami Leaguge and their associates will get existence in the soil of Bangladesh. SASEC-II project authorities should take steps to stop rest works of Wazed’s portrait construction.”

Civil society members also urged the authorities concerned to take rapid action for removal of Dr. Wazed Ali Mian’s arcade and stop all construction works involving with the arcade so that Awami League and their men can’t rehabilitate again.

Dr Md. Waliur Rahman, Project Director (PD / ACE) of SASEC-II project (Improvement of Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur Road to a 4-Lane Highway) told The Daily Sky, “We have become compel to construct the arcade according to the schedule of the project. But, it has turned into a tumor on the highway. If we get any amendment or decision in this regard from the high-ups of the government, we will take necessary action according to the next directives.”