Sylhet Bureau

Residents and local farmers have alleged significant irregularities in the construction of a two-kilometer crop protection embankment on the eastern bank of the Chilai River in Doarabazar Upazila, Sunamganj District, Sylhet.
Implemented by the Hakonagar Water Management Cooperative Society under the supervision of LGED, this unplanned embankment has become a source of frustration for local farmers.

Farmers claim that, in order to embezzle government funds, the embankment was not constructed at the designated location. Instead, a thin layer of soil was spread over a pre-existing road to complete the work superficially.

In their words, this development is merely a façade.They believe that this unplanned embankment will not serve any purpose in protecting boro crops.

Besides, due to this unplanned embankment, farmers are concerned about waterlogging of their homes during the upcoming monsoon season and are worried about aman cultivation.

It has been reported that the government allocated 9.7 million taka for the construction of the embankment to protect boro crops on the eastern bank of the Chilai River in Doarabazar Upazila.

From the outset of the project, local farmers have raised allegations of irregularities.
Disregarding the objections of the farmers, the relevant authorities began the project on a pre-existing road, rather than constructing the embankment in a location that would benefit the farmers.

It is alleged that, in collusion with the Upazila LGED, the president of the Hakonagar Water Management Cooperative Society, Anwar Bhuiyan, and the secretary, Abul Kalam Azad alias Babul Doctor, have turned irregularities into norms to embezzle government project funds, according to local residents.
Furthermore, there are various allegations of irregularities and corruption in the construction of this ineffective embankment.
Although the work is being implemented through the Hakonagar Water Management Cooperative Society, several hundred members of the society are unaware of this project.
Many members have complained that a few individuals are quietly looting funds through private meetings without informing anyone.
Additionally, the topsoil of local farmers' arable land and the base of the embankment are being excavated with excavators, creating pond-like pits for the construction of the embankment.

Even when someone objects, they are forced to provide soil, being told it is for government work.After taking the soil, the implementers disappear, and when contacted later, they rudely tell the landowners that there is nothing they can do

Subsequently, they demand three thousand taka per hour to fill the pits.
Even an impoverished widow had to pay three thousand taka per hour to have her land refilled.

Moreover, to complete the unplanned embankment, 60 trees on the pond bank of local farmer Emdadul Haque were cut down, causing him a loss of around one lakh taka.
Similarly, several farmers have suffered losses due to the destruction of various vegetable gardens, as soil was extracted from there for the embankment construction.
Despite causing significant damage to locals, no compensation has been provided.
On the contrary, when someone tries to object to the government work, they are threatened and intimidated by the project implementers.
The unplanned embankment, constructed in the name of benefiting farmers, has become a source of distress for local residents.
To cover up these irregularities and corruption in the embankment work, influential local figures have been included in the project implementation committee, and journalists have been managed, allowing the looting of government funds to continue unabated.
Elderly village resident Abdul Hamid stated that due to this unplanned crop protection embankment, we will have to swim to survive during the monsoon.

We cannot afford to relocate elsewhere.
They are constructing the embankment by simply adding a thin layer of soil over the pre-existing road.

This embankment will not benefit us; instead, it will harm us in every way.
We are also concerned about planting aman rice because of this embankment.
Moreover, during the monsoon, our homes will be submerged.

The road was not constructed in the direction that would benefit the farmers.
When we objected at the beginning of the work, they ignored our protests and continued constructing the embankment.
A person named Shafik Mia said that due to this embankment, our homes are at risk, and we are in fear.

The embankment has been constructed over a road built during our ancestors' time.
To embezzle government funds, they have constructed the embankment without considering the farmers' interests, focusing instead on enriching themselves.
If the work had been done in the designated area, more soil would have been needed, leaving less money for them to embezzle.
Since the embankment was constructed over the road, they used minimal soil and are now looting the remaining funds.

This project will not benefit the farmers; only those implementing it will profit.
A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the president of the Hakonagar Water Management Cooperative Society, Anwar Bhuiyan, the secretary, Abul Kalam Azad alias Babul Doctor, and Motalib Bhuiyan, among others, forcibly turned our land into ponds and used the soil for the embankment.

Initially, we were unwilling to give soil, but they forced us, saying that everyone else was giving soil for government work, so we had to as well.
We are helpless people; our objections were ignored.

This embankment is causing us significant harm.During the monsoon, we see no option but to drown, affected farmer Salik Mia said that while constructing this dam.