Char Fasson people suffer for incomplete road

CHAR FASSON, BHOLA, Sept 23: The incomplete repairing work of 96 kilometre (km) Bhola-Char Fasson regional highway is causing public sufferings.

The repairing work of widening and developing the highway was scheduled to be completed by December 2022. But so far, 83 km stretches of the road have been completed. The remaining 13 km road is still deplorable with small and big puddles.

Accidents are taking place on this road almost everyday.
A recent visit found vehicles moving on this 13 km road taking life-risk.
 
In February, 2021 Road & Highway Department (RHD) undertook a project of widening the regional highway by 18-30 feet. The work order was given to a total of eight contracting firms including MM Builders.

As the work is not completed within the scheduled time of two years, the time was extended one more year. Later on, till July this year, 83 km work was repaired. Since then, the remaining 13 km has been lying unrepaired for about one year.

CNG-auto rickshaw drivers Abdul Haq, Rafiqul Islam and others said, passengers and transport labourers are facing problems. At present, about 5.5 km road from Azimuddin to Borhanuddin has turned worse with clayey condition, they added.

An NGO activist Mizanur Rahman said, "I have to move on this road for three/four times a day. Each time I get bathed in the clayey water. This road part has been panic for passengers of small transports."

A dweller of Azimuddin area Ikhlas Uddin said, "In the rainy season, I have to get to the road with bare-foot."

A car driver Mafizur Rahman said, lifted carpeting and piled sand have made the road deplorable; once the car get into a puddle, it gets disordered.

RHD Executive Engineer Md Nazmul Islam brought allegation of negligence against the contracting firm MM Builders. Letter was sent to them for several times, he added.

He gave assurance of taking action against the contractor if the work is not completed in time.

Project Manager of MM Builders Morshed Alam Bhuiya said, the work has been delayed a little due to increased prices of construction materials. The work has been suspended amid rough weather, he added.

He further said, "We have to count a loss of Tk 40 crore against materials of about Tk 350 crore. We hope to finish the work within next December."
 
The project cost was Tk 849 crore. Later on, it was increased to Tk 878 crore.

Along with the road, four girder bridges and 43 culverts have been constructed.