Locals of Ulipur village in Kurigram District are facing extreme sufferings due to the demolition of a 22 year old ring culvert.
Approximately six months ago, the culvert was demolished to construct a new bridge. But till now no new bridge constructed there. Although people can cross it somehow in the dry season, during the monsoon, about 10,000 people of eight villages traveling on that road have to suffer endlessly because of it.
The project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Disaster Risk Management Enhancement Project and managed by the Directorate of Disaster Management, aimed to improve road infrastructure in the 2021-22 fiscal year. The road development project, inaugurated in May 2022, included 3,300 meters of road construction in Hatia Union, stretching from Dararpar Sabdul intersection to the front of Riaz Uddin Sarkar's house, passing through the Molpara area.
Sources said a contractor named Mustafa & Sons of Noakhali got the contract of the job first. Later former Organizational Secretary of Upazila Awami League Ranjan Majumdar Bhola took the sub-contract. Even though there were complaints of various irregularities from the beginning of the work, the people in charge were indifferent towards them.
When the correspondent asked the Upazila Project Implementation Officer Sirajuddaula for information, he said that there are lots of works in their office right now, so they will not be able to provide any information at this time.
He said he will be able to provide information after the June 13. Moreover, it was not possible to contact anyone from the JICA project regarding this matter.
The correspondent visited the place and learned that a 22 year old culvert in Bhavesh Bogapara area of Hatia Union was demolished for the construction of a new bridge and 8-10 feet deep hole was dug there. But no connecting road was build for the movement of people after the culvert was demolished. Roads were built on other people's land at the initiative of the locals. But pedestrians suffer in the monsoon as there is waist deep water during that season.
Local residents Khaibar Ali, Jobed Ali, Mosharraf Hossain, Haider Ali and several other residents said that the contractor's people disappeared after demolishing the previous culvert for the construction of the new bridge. As a result, people including the students of the schools and madrasahs have to suffer throughout the rainy season.
Even if someone is sick, they have to cross the water to go somewhere.
They also said that the people of several villages including Uchavita, Bogapara, Molpara, Olamaganj, Gholdar Par attend the Eid salah at the Bogapara Eidgah ground every year and this is the only road to go there.
They fear that people will not be able to go to this Eidgah for the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha salah in this situation.
Hatia UP Chairman Shaikul Islam said he contacted the contractor regarding the construction of the bridge. The contractor told him that the work of the bridge will be starting soon.
Kurigram District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Abdul Hai Sarkar said that the extension of the project period has been rejected and the current period is almost expired as well. They do not have much information as the project is being monitored from Dhaka. However, the issue of public grievances needs to be resolved in coordination with the local chairman as the respective Chairmen are involved in this project too.
