Hridoy Sarker, BSMRSTU

The construction work of the main gate of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU) in Gopalganj has been stopped due to lack of fund.

However, the vice-chancellor said that the planning, development and works department of the university failed in the construction of the main gate. As they could not bring the money on time, the work under construction was stopped at the last stage.

It is learnt that in September 2014, the further development project of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University was passed to improve the infrastructure of the university. And the Project Developer (PD) was appointed in November of the same year for the implementation of the project. The first period of the project is from 2014 to December 2018. The project was implemented by the Directorate of Education and Engineering with a budget of 105 crores. But the work of 14 tenders under the project in the first period has not been completed completely.

In 2018, the 1st amendment of the previous project was passed at a cost of 256 crore and it was decided to implement the remaining part of the project by the Department of Planning, Development and Works and Engineering Department of the University. The project has been extended for a second period from 2018 to June 2020 Among them, 2 crore 38 lakh taka has been allocated to the RDP for the construction of the main gate and for this, the contractor company Kazi Mahbubur Rahman has agreed with the university for the construction of the gate for 2 crore 14 lakh 29 thousand taka contracted.During this time, the contract period for the gate work was given to the contractor from December 2020 to February 2021. But due to various reasons including corona epidemic, the work of the main gate has to be closed till June 2021, according to the planning, development and works department of the university.

Meanwhile, the duration of the project was increased from 2020 to December 2022.Tuhin Mahmud, Director (Acting) of Planning, Development and Works Department of the University in 2022, said in an interview that the construction of the main gate of the University was scheduled to be completed in June 2022, but due to technical errors, it will be completed in March 2023. But the implementation of the main gate started in November after March 2023, but the responsible authorities of the university could not complete 100% of the work under construction.

A survey of the university's further development project shows that the progress of the main gate construction work in September 2023 is 80 percent and its financial expenditure is 48.53 percent.

To know about this, the contractor of the main gate Noor Ali Molya said that during the work, the university was supposed to give me money for the running bill. I have worked so far with the ones that gave. And I continued to work with whatever money I had. But now I don't have any money, and the university doesn't pay me any running bills so I can't complete the work.

It is known that out of 2 crore 14 lakh 29 thousand rupees, 1 crore 4 lakh rupees have been provided to the contracting company according to the project entitled "More Development of the University".

To know about this, Mahbubur Rahman Sumon, assistant director of the university's planning, development and works office, said that the duration of our project was up to December 2022. We submit the 2nd amendment to the RDPP in February of that year to extend the project period.

Meanwhile, the project evaluation committee meeting held at the Planning Commission in September 2023 has received a recommendation to extend the duration of the project up to December 2024, which is at the final stage. He said, we will get the demanded money only after it is passed. Currently we are not getting money because the project has expired.

When asked about the reason why the construction work of the project has not been completed even though the period of the project has expired, he said that we could not do any work due to Corona. Even in the university we could not do the work properly due to various problems.

He also said that in this project we have received 168 crore 50 lakh Taka out of 256 crore Taka. About 82 crores more is left. If I get this money, I hope I can complete the project.

In this regard, the VC of the University AQM contacted Mahbub told this correspondent over phone that the money required for the construction of the main gate could not be brought by the Planning, Development and Works Department. He said, I am trying again how to bring the money, I hope to arrange the money within a month and finish the work of the gate, he added.