Sirajganj Correspondent back from Shahjadpur :
There have been allegations of widespread irregularities and corruption of protection works of Jamuna River erosion in seven kilometer areas from Brahmangram in Khukni Union to Binotia in Gala Union of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj .
The complainants said that some deceitful staff of assigned contractors are doing this irregularity and corruption with the connivance of some dishonest officials and employees of Sirajganj Water Development Board. Complaints include under-packing of sand, not dumping sacks properly as required at the right place timely etc. Even though the bag is thrown, it collapses again after a few days due to irregularities and corruption. As a result, this dumping is of no useful for the local people causing huge wastage of government money.
In this regard, the locals complained that with the onset of the monsoon season, extensive erosion has started in the villages on the west bank of the Jamuna River. Due to this erosion, more than one hundred houses, two mosques, several croplands, cow farms, weaving factories and more than two hundred trees of 9 villages have devoured under water including Jamuna River embankments have collapsed in Mazjan, Fakirpara and Binotia areas. Apart from this, the river flood control dams in Jagatala and Mazjan areas are also under threat.
Residents complained and said that bags are being dumped first at less important places instead of the place where there is large amount of demolition. Apart from this, sacks are being dumped earlier in the areas where people are paying money as bribe. Again, due to the lack of sacks that are needed to be dumped, erosion are occurring there again. Besides, 280 kg of sand is supposed to be given in each sack, but instead of sand they are providing soil in each sack weighing 242 to 248 kg. As a result, the soils in the sacks are melting gradually due to the impact of the waves.
Apart from this, instead of putting sacks at the base of the collapse area, sacks are placed only on the surface, causing water to enter from below which accelerates the range of erosion. As a result, dumping these sacks is of no use to the villagers causing a huge loss of money of water development board. Locals requested the intervention of the higher authorities of the Water Development Board to prevent this irregularity and corruption.
In this regard, Rubel Hossain, Manager of TTSL, the contractor company engaged in sack dumping work in Brahmangram said, there is task force to supervise the work. After they get the right size of sack by weighing and if they allowed, then sacking starts, otherwise not. As a result, there is no chance to give less sand in sacks.
Apart from this, there is no basis for their other allegations. In fact they are making baseless allegations. At that time, when mobile phone number of Abdur Razzak, the Owner of the contractor company TTSL was asked, Rubel expressed his inability to give it.
In this regard, Nazmul Hossain, SO of Sirajganj Water Development Board said that the people of the area always make such complaints. Their allegations are not true. After measuring the bag, if the weight is low, it is opened and filled again.
Saidul Islam, Working Assistant of Sirajganj Water Development Board, said that some sacks were opened and filled again when we noticed the weight of some sacks to be low during work in Brahmangram area. Now there is no shortage of sand in any bag. To get opinion of Shafiqul Islam, executive engineer, Sirajganj Water Development Board on this matter, several phone calls were made but he did not receive.
