Govt buildings with bamboo sticks: PWD must be punished

IT is alarming that contractors are using bamboo sticks instead of iron rods in the construction of multi-storied government buildings and other public works violating the rules and endangering people’s life. Such building will remain fragile to collapse but engineers and concerned government officials are apparently sheltering the mischief in exchange of money. Media reports on Wednesday said that bamboo sticks were detected in the construction of a new building of the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). Some students noticed the existence of bamboo sticks on the wall of the building as the outer layer of the cement work at a section of the wall collapsed.

It is not for the first time, as we see such crime came to public notice. Crimes are everywhere and everybody is misusing power. But we wonder who will take responsibly of any accidents from collapse of such buildings. Use of bamboo sticks were also uncovered in the construction of the roof of another building of RMCH sometimes ago and we must say if the contractors were punished, such mischief would not come to be repeated again. Public Works Department (PWD) had earlier formed a probe committee to investigate the matter but the report is not coming to the light. Moreover comment of a PWD Engineer after visiting the latest building scam that bamboo was used ‘on small part’ and it is ‘not dangerous’ clearly suggest their collaboration with the mischief.

Some other recent reports also prove that contractors had used bamboo sticks in the construction of a government building in Bogra. They also use it in fixing the roof of a building at Haji Danesh Agricultural University in Dinajpur. In yet another case, bamboo was discovered in the construction of a culvert bridge in Brahmanbaria.

We fear that dozens of such mischief remained undetected and potential danger to public safety. It is indeed a horrendous crime that is being routinely carried out by contractors to keep construction cost at low and make good profit. But in doing so building codes have been violated, quality of building materials ignored and obviously contractors share part of the profit with concerned Engineers and Supervisory authorities to continue the fraud. We know bamboo sticks are perishable and users of the building remain exposed to fatal accidents.
It is sad when Bangladesh is increasingly using prefabricated steel structures for new buildings dishonest contractors are using bamboo sticks without caring the risky consequence to life and properties. We fear what is happening to big projects under development politics. Our anxiety is for big corruption in big projects under the government with no accountability. We are sure of faulty finishing in many of these projects.