A recently constructed road in Sirajganj, built at a cost of Tk 6.3 lakh, has collapsed within just a month, causing severe difficulties for residents of 14 villages across four unions.
Locals have blamed poor construction quality and non-compliance with government regulations for the rapid deterioration of the road.
The damaged road connects both sides of a newly built bridge over a canal near the Joypur Eidgah field, along the Panchil-Kaijuri regional road in Shahzadpur upazila.
The bridge, which is 15 metres long, was built eight months ago under the upazila disaster management department’s bridge/culvert construction project for the 2023–24 financial year. The total cost of the bridge was Tk 1.06 crore, and the work was carried out by a contractor named Messrs Bismillah Traders.
Subsequently, a concrete connecting road (C.C. road) was built under the rural infrastructure repair programme (Kabikha and Kabita) for the 2024–25 financial year, at a cost of Tk 6,30,916. However, the connecting road collapsed last week, leading to public outrage.
In response, local residents held a human chain protest, demanding immediate repairs and accountability for the substandard construction work.
When asked, project president and local Union Parishad member Shahjahan Ali claimed the work had been completed as per regulations, and the bill had already been cleared. He attributed the collapse to recent rainfall.
Shahzadpur Upazila Project Implementation Officer Abdul Kalam Azad, when contacted, said the bridge had been constructed during the tenure of the previous officer. "I cannot comment on this matter. Repairs will be carried out if new funding becomes available," he added.
Shahzadpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Kamruzzaman confirmed that the contractor had already been instructed to repair the damaged road. "We expect the road to be repaired soon," he stated.
Locals, however, remain sceptical and have demanded strict monitoring to ensure quality in future development projects.
