Sands instead of soil are being used in construction of the embankment in Patharghata upazial of Barguna district. Later, the construction company is using soil ointment on the sand made embankment despite Bangladesh Water Development Board’s (BWDB) repeated warnings. Besides, the district administration also asked the construction company not to use sands instead of soil. But showing thumb to the authorities concerned, the construction farm continued building the embankment with sands, according to a media report.
The embankment construction work was awarded to China Chongqing International Construction Corporation. Allegations are there that they started the construction work with sands instead of soil since beginning of the work.
Low-lying areas in Patharghata upazila often experience flood following the collapse of embankment caused by tidal surges and cyclonic storm. Coastal people’s lives and livelihoods largely depend on embankments and the people of the region wanted sustainable embankments rather than food support. But irregularities in implementing different projects taken to construct fresh embankments or repair the damaged one in coastal areas are jeopardising the government's efforts.
The authorities concerned should
take immediate action against the
construction farm and public representatives
who are involved in using sands instead
of soil in construction of the embankment
Millions of people in the coastal areas of the country are living in constant fear of cyclones and other natural calamities. But most of the poorly-built embankment collapses frequently as there were widespread irregularities in the construction -- from the beginning to the end.
The government has asked the construction farm to construct sustainable embankments to protect the lives and properties of people in the coastal areas of the southwestern part of the country. But if the embankments are built bypassing the government’s instruction, they will collapse any time and inundate the low-lying areas of coastal districts, their offshore islands and chars by tidal surges.
To protect our people from getting inundated by sea level rise and from becoming climate migrants, the government should not tolerate any irregularities in work like construction of embankment. Therefore, the authorities concerned should take immediate action against the construction farm and public representatives who are involved in using sands instead of soil in construction of the embankment in Patharghata. Besides, the political leaders should come forward and oversee the coastal protection work.