Chittagong Bureau :
A number of unscrupulous organization are practicing import of low grade bitumen from abroad without the necessary permission from the concerned authority aimed at maximum profit . These low grade imported bitumen is being marketed across the country , users sources said.
These sub-standard bitumen are being imported in drums and later these bitumen are being marketed in bulk after dissolving the bitumen crude from the drums.
An expert of road construction technology who is also the senior professor of Chittagong Engineering University named Dr. Swapan Kumar Palit Ph.D told this correspondent that 110 celcious heat is needed to dissolve the hard bitumen but to speed up the dissolving drum filled bitumen , maximum heat than 110 celcious given by these factories .
Following the excessive heat, the quality of the Bitumen damaged to some extents, expert sources said. Reliable sources said a number of unathorised Bitumen dissolving factory grown up in Chittagong, Feni, Noakhali and Tongi .
After using these bulk bitumen of these unauthorized factories , road carpeting work hampers to maximum extent and these carpeting work becomes dilapidated within short time and hence the govt is losing huge amount of revenue using these dissolved bitumen procuring from local suppliers rather imported qualitative one. Roads and Highways of Bangladesh govt is using the huge quantities of bulk bitumen than the imported perfect quality or products from Eastern Refinery Ltd .
Govt is incurring crores of takas for road constructions using the bulk bitumen but the longibity of carpeting are damaged within short period than the desired time. Sources said the substandard bitumen is lasted with desired time and even the carpeting work also washed away during heavy rainfall .
Seeking anonymity , a importer told the New Nation that quality of imported Bitumen are tested in the laboratories of BPC and BUET before delivery of bulk bitumen from foreign vessels at Chittagong Port but Iran origin low grade Bitumen are being imported in drum packing and these drum filled bitumen are dissolving in these unauthorized factories aimed at marketing with cheap price .
Low grade bitumen wont lasted than the quality products . In this connection of bitumen problems, Roads & Bridge Miniser told earlier that ‘I am in problems taking low grade bitumen’. Expert sources said we should avoid using of 80-100 grade bitumen and the concerned department should be asked to avoid substandard bitumen .
In this connection, City Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin told that CCC uses bitumen for road construction procuring from Eastern Refinery Ltd after proper quality testing and the imported low grade bitumen flooded the markets .He said drives should be launched against the low grade local bitumen factories and no excuse should be given to these factories .
While contacted Prof. Dr.Swapan Kumar Palit told The New Nation that if the all necessary materials, design and implementation process of road construction are done properly, these road will not be damaged by 15 years whereas our roads in our country became deteriorated within a year or during rainy season.
Expert sources said these bitumen problems may be resolved if the matter is monitored from expert level for using quality bitumen .
It is learnt from different sources that a number of unauthorized factories including Karim Salt of Patenga by-pass in city, Jahangir Alam and Company of Feni, HK Trading of Noakhali Chowmuhani, NDE factory of Tongi are involved with the marketing of sub-standard bitumen alleged . RHD sources said there is a govt instructions to use 60-70 grade bitumen in road constructions . Sources said with the license of BERC , MEB and Bay terminal are importing Bitumen from abroad and they are paying regular vat, duties regularly .
Reliable sources said due to illegal imports of bitumen, the Bitumen products of Eastern Refinery remain unsold . The demand of ERL bitumen was more demandable earlier but following the import of substandard bitumen their demand became downfall and huge quantities of ERL products lying stored in their godowns.
The sluggish of bitumen sale of ERL origin was admitted by a higher official of ERL .He also mentioned that out of total demand of the country (1.5 lakh tons) , ERL produces 60 thousand metric tons.
A number of unscrupulous organization are practicing import of low grade bitumen from abroad without the necessary permission from the concerned authority aimed at maximum profit . These low grade imported bitumen is being marketed across the country , users sources said.
These sub-standard bitumen are being imported in drums and later these bitumen are being marketed in bulk after dissolving the bitumen crude from the drums.
An expert of road construction technology who is also the senior professor of Chittagong Engineering University named Dr. Swapan Kumar Palit Ph.D told this correspondent that 110 celcious heat is needed to dissolve the hard bitumen but to speed up the dissolving drum filled bitumen , maximum heat than 110 celcious given by these factories .
Following the excessive heat, the quality of the Bitumen damaged to some extents, expert sources said. Reliable sources said a number of unathorised Bitumen dissolving factory grown up in Chittagong, Feni, Noakhali and Tongi .
After using these bulk bitumen of these unauthorized factories , road carpeting work hampers to maximum extent and these carpeting work becomes dilapidated within short time and hence the govt is losing huge amount of revenue using these dissolved bitumen procuring from local suppliers rather imported qualitative one. Roads and Highways of Bangladesh govt is using the huge quantities of bulk bitumen than the imported perfect quality or products from Eastern Refinery Ltd .
Govt is incurring crores of takas for road constructions using the bulk bitumen but the longibity of carpeting are damaged within short period than the desired time. Sources said the substandard bitumen is lasted with desired time and even the carpeting work also washed away during heavy rainfall .
Seeking anonymity , a importer told the New Nation that quality of imported Bitumen are tested in the laboratories of BPC and BUET before delivery of bulk bitumen from foreign vessels at Chittagong Port but Iran origin low grade Bitumen are being imported in drum packing and these drum filled bitumen are dissolving in these unauthorized factories aimed at marketing with cheap price .
Low grade bitumen wont lasted than the quality products . In this connection of bitumen problems, Roads & Bridge Miniser told earlier that ‘I am in problems taking low grade bitumen’. Expert sources said we should avoid using of 80-100 grade bitumen and the concerned department should be asked to avoid substandard bitumen .
In this connection, City Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin told that CCC uses bitumen for road construction procuring from Eastern Refinery Ltd after proper quality testing and the imported low grade bitumen flooded the markets .He said drives should be launched against the low grade local bitumen factories and no excuse should be given to these factories .
While contacted Prof. Dr.Swapan Kumar Palit told The New Nation that if the all necessary materials, design and implementation process of road construction are done properly, these road will not be damaged by 15 years whereas our roads in our country became deteriorated within a year or during rainy season.
Expert sources said these bitumen problems may be resolved if the matter is monitored from expert level for using quality bitumen .
It is learnt from different sources that a number of unauthorized factories including Karim Salt of Patenga by-pass in city, Jahangir Alam and Company of Feni, HK Trading of Noakhali Chowmuhani, NDE factory of Tongi are involved with the marketing of sub-standard bitumen alleged . RHD sources said there is a govt instructions to use 60-70 grade bitumen in road constructions . Sources said with the license of BERC , MEB and Bay terminal are importing Bitumen from abroad and they are paying regular vat, duties regularly .
Reliable sources said due to illegal imports of bitumen, the Bitumen products of Eastern Refinery remain unsold . The demand of ERL bitumen was more demandable earlier but following the import of substandard bitumen their demand became downfall and huge quantities of ERL products lying stored in their godowns.
The sluggish of bitumen sale of ERL origin was admitted by a higher official of ERL .He also mentioned that out of total demand of the country (1.5 lakh tons) , ERL produces 60 thousand metric tons.
