Russel Mia, Amtali (Barguna)

Concerns have emerged over the durability and quality of a multi-million taka riverbank protection project along the Payra River, following allegations that a contractor is using sub-standard and saline sand in the manufacturing of concrete blocks.

Local residents in Amtali Upazila under Barguna district raised strong objections after contractor firm Nation Tech reportedly initiated block construction on Wednesday using low-grade sand transported from Chittagong. Community members have expressed severe doubts regarding the Fineness Modulus (FM) value of the materials being utilized and have demanded an immediate official investigation to verify sand quality.

According to Water Development Board (WDB) sources, the Barguna WDB launched a major initiative during the 2023–24 fiscal year to curb severe erosion along the Payra River. Under this scheme, 13 separate packages were awarded to various contracting firms to construct 4,500 meters of protective block barriers across Polder 43/1 in the Boithakata area of Chaura Union and Polder 44/B in the Pashurbunia area of Arpangashia Union. While work on several packages was completed over the past two years, construction is currently active on 1,200 meters across four packages—Packages 3 and 4 under Polder 43/1 (600 meters) and Packages 14 and 15 under Polder 44/B (600 meters). All four packages were allocated to Nation Tech.

As per tender specifications, high-grade selection sand with a minimum FM rating above 2.00 is mandatory for concrete block casting. However, local residents alleged that Nation Tech stockpiled saline sand sourced from coastal areas in Chittagong and began block construction on Wednesday without proper clearance.

The contractor brought saline sand from Chittagong and piled it up at the project site. Tasting the water pooling at the base of these sand heaps clearly reveals its high salinity," said local residents Rahman Mia, Hatem, and Khairul Islam.

"Blocks made with saline sand will erode rapidly, rendering the government's major financial outlay ineffective. The authorities must immediately inspect the materials and replace them with standard selection sand."

A WDB work assistant, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the FM value of the stockpiled sand appears significantly below the required technical standard, which could jeopardize the structural longevity of the protective blocks.

When contacted, representatives from Nation Tech refuted the allegations. Abul Khair, a civil engineer with the contracting firm, stated that the sand's FM value was verified prior to field stockpiling. He added that cast blocks would be sent to the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for structural testing, and any non-compliant blocks would be rejected. Nation Tech Manager Md. Golam Faruq echoed these statements, assuring that block casting would undergo rigorous lab testing.

Addressing the issue, Barguna WDB Sub-Assistant Engineer Md. Azizul Hoque Sujon claimed that while certain individual sand heaps had lower FM values, the aggregate blend met technical standards.

However, Executive Engineer of Barguna WDB, Hannan Pradhan, assured firm action, stating: "If the sand fails to meet the requisite FM standard, block casting will not be permitted. We will investigate the matter immediately and take necessary enforcement steps."