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Anomalies mar Katiadi dyke project


Published : 25 Oct 2020 08:24 PM | Updated : 25 Oct 2020 09:31 PM

The Kishoreganj Water Development Board (WDB) took a 120-meter dyke project worth Tk 19 lakh to prevent river erosion in the Old Brahmaputra River in Purbachar Paratala village of Lohajuri union in the district’s Katiadi upazila.

With local contractor company Maien Enterprise being awarded with project, some 11,286 sandbags were dumped including 4,286 geo sacks and 7,200 plastic bags (bamboo) to prevent the erosion.

But locals alleged that there were irregularities in implementing the project including dumping sand bags and demanded investigation. No signboards were hung on the project site too. Villagers were not even informed about the project.

Union Parishad Member Abul Kashem Faruq and local union Awami League President Nurul Islam said neither the contractor company nor the WDB authorities responded to their request while dumping sandbags on the damaged parts of the river in their village. According to them, there is, of course, irregularities in the project work.

Later, villagers complained to the local lawmaker Nur Mohammad on the irregularities. Meanwhile, a four-member committee was formed with Mohammad Ali, executive engineer of Kishoreganj WAB, as the chief coordinator to supervise the project work. The other two members are the representatives of the Upazila Parishad chairman and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).

Rasel Sarkar, owner of Kishoreganj-Maien Enterprise, said there were no irregularities in implementing the project and everything has been done according to the rules. Lohajuri UP Chairman Atahar Uddin Bhuiyan Ratan said, 'Although Tk 19 lakh was allocated for the eroded areas, it did not work 100%. He demanded to investigate the matter and take action.

Mohammad Ali, executive engineer of Kishoreganj WDB said the WDB and the contracting company completed the dyke project worth Tk 19 lakh in Purbachar Paratala village.

“I don't know if there was any irregularity in dumping sandbags,” he added. "Action will be taken if any irregularity is found after investigation," Akterun Nesha, upazila nirbahi officer of Katiadi said.