Habibun Naher, Sirajganj

Though, the Water Development Board (WDB) in Sirajganj was mainly responsible to supervise the work of an under construction bridge on the Katakhali canal at Bahirgola area in Sirajganj town, the concerned contractor of the project managed to flee giving up the work after withdrawing Tk 2.68 crore due to extreme negligence and irregularities of the WDB officials. As a result, uncertainty has been created over the completion of bridge construction.

Not only that, the incomplete bridge on the Katakhali Canal has turned into a tumor for about 15 neighboring villagers, locals said. Now, question has raised that who will take responsibility of the incomplete bridge and the money spent in the name of construction?

Locals complained that, several thousands of people of around 15 neighboring villages in the town have been facing immense sufferings during their movements due to lack of bridge.

“The WDB realized Tk 46 lakh as fine from the concerned contractor after he left the work keeping it incomplete. Besides, the rest money amount at around Tk 4.60 crore sanctioned for the project has already gone return to the government fund. Therefore, we are now waiting for fresh allocation for the bridge,” said Mukhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of WDB in Sirajganj.

At present, there is no scope to add the incomplete project with a new one. This is why, we are facing uncertainty over completion of the bridge’s construction. Besides, there is no way to recover the money spent already against the bridge. In this circumstance, we are thinking about to submit a new project proposal for the under construction bridge by 2026,” the Executive Engineer added.

It is to be mentioned that, the government under supervision of Water Development Board (WDB) in Sirajganj allocated about Tk 7.28 crore to construct a bridge on the Katakhali canal at Bahirgola area in Sirajganj town in 2021.

The WDB gave the work to a Jashore based construction firm named Moinuddin Limited, that started the construction work on August 18 with a completion deadline on June 30, 2024. After starting of the project work, the construction firm in collaboration with the concerned officials of the WDB withdrew about Tk 2.68 crore out of the total allocated amount of Tk 7,28,02000. Then, the contractor left the work in the mid of 2022 keeping the construction incomplete and went to absconding after falling of the Awami League government.

Sobhan Sarker, a local resident said, “Contractor managed to flee leaving the work due to extreme apathy and irregularities of the WDB officials. If the construction work were monitored perfectly by the WDB officials, the work would complete timely.”

Nazmul Hasan, another local resident said, “People of about 15 villages especially students and patients have been facing trouble to cross the canal due to lack of a bridge on it. Though, the government sanctioned money for construction of a bridge on the Katakhali canal to avert the sufferings of the commuters, the money went waste due to extreme negligence and irregularities of the concerned contractor and WDB officials. However, the WDB officials evaded its responsibility by imposing fine of Tk 46 lakh against the contractor.”

Mirza Mostafa Zaman, Member of Sirajganj Swartha Rakshma Committee told The Country Today , “WDB officials did not take any drastic action against the concerned contractor as it got appointment on the political blessing.

The contractor was awarded with the work order as he was blessed by Awami League government. Besides, the officials played silence role in this regard due to getting sufficient share of the looted money.” Zaman also urged the higher authorities to form a neutral probe committee over the project mismanagement and irregularities.