A road renovation project in Aditmari Upazila of Lalmonirhat has stalled after the contractor abandoned the work, leaving the road dug up for months and causing severe hardship for commuters during the monsoon.
Officials of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) say repeated notices have failed to bring the contractor back to the site.
The five-kilometre Mahishkhocha-Burirhat road (JC No. 152022001) is the only road connecting residents of Mahishkhocha, Bhadai and Palashi unions with the upazila headquarters. The road had deteriorated badly over the years, prompting LGED to undertake a rehabilitation project under the Rural Road Maintenance and Preservation Programme.
Following a tender process, Messrs Shakil Traders of Lalmonirhat Sadar was awarded the contract at a cost of Tk 25.5 million.
LGED signed the contract with the contractor on January 12, and work officially began on January 18. Under the agreement, the project was scheduled for completion by June 26. After excavating the road and constructing guide walls, the contractor completed about 20 percent of the work and withdrew the first payment of Tk 1.8 million before abandoning the project. Although nearly five months have passed, work has not resumed. Heavy monsoon rains have further damaged the road, increasing public suffering and creating uncertainty over the project's completion.
LGED officials said they issued several notices directing the contractor to resume work, but received no response.
A local source claimed that the project had been informally transferred at an 11 percent profit margin to Alam, the brother of a former president of the Aditmari Upazila BNP. The source alleged that the buyer later abandoned the project after realising it would incur losses. This claim has not been independently verified.
Residents say the damaged road has become hazardous, with large potholes causing frequent accidents, damaging vehicles and goods, and putting pedestrians at risk of serious injuries.
School student Sonia Sultana said she travels to school by auto-rickshaw every day and fears accidents because of the poor condition of the road.
Schoolteacher Shawon said local people had endured the damaged road for several years before renovation work finally began, only to see the contractor abandon the project shortly afterwards.
Businessman Golam Kabir of Mahishkhocha said large trucks have been unable to use the road for the past five months, forcing traders to transport goods in smaller vehicles at higher costs.
Alam, who reportedly began the construction work, said the project had been temporarily suspended because of rain and that work would resume after the monsoon.
Aditmari Upazila Engineer AKM Fazlul Haque said the contractor had been served several notices but had failed to respond. He added that legal action is being taken to ensure the project is completed.
Lalmonirhat LGED Executive Engineer Kawsar Alam said he had personally summoned the contractor and pressed for the immediate resumption of work. According to him, the contractor has promised to restart the project within a week and complete it as quickly as possible. He expressed hope that the public's suffering would soon be eased.
