Our Correspondent :
Armed members of the United People’s Democratic Front UPDF (Prasit group) a regional organization in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, have stopped work on two projects worth about Tk 8 crore by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) at Ramgarh in Khagrachhari. Meanwhile, the construction of a 78-meter-long RCC Girder Bridge over the Pilak River at Vaidyapara in Ramgarh Sadar Union was started after the armed members of the organization obstructed the construction work. Earlier, LGED’s project to build three bridges in the area worth several crores of tks could not be carried out due to the obstruction of the organization.
On the other hand, the armed members of the organization have also stopped work on the 1,700-meter-long Khagrabil-Manikchhari via Batnatali Bazar road in Patachhara union of the upazila.
According to local sources, after the work was stopped, the concerned contractor contacted the leaders of different levels of the organization and brought back the workers, construction materials and machinery from the site as they were not allowed to work in the end.
According to the source, the contractor has not started the work of the bridge in the Buddhadhon Karbaripara area of the same project as the work was stopped in Vaidyapara.
While inspecting the project area at Vaidyapara, about 6 km from Ramgarh Upazila Sadar, the locals said that the project was undertaken to build a bridge to connect several villages including Hazachhara on the other side of the Pilak River and the adjoining Matiranga Upazila.
Newari Marma, a resident of Hazachara village and president of the ward Juba League, said, “I have heard that the Insider Party (UPDF) has stopped work when construction of the bridge started after a long wait.”
Ramgarh Union Parishad Chairman and A. League leader Shah Alam Majumder said the project to build the bridge was approved after much effort. After the contractor started work, the UPDF members came and stopped the work.
Although LGED has already taken plans to build several bridges in the remote Vaidyapara, Laxmichara and Matiranga areas, it is learned that the armed terrorists of the hilly regional organization did not allow them to work.
According to the concerned department sources, the LGED has not been able to work on the project of constructing multiple bridges in the remote areas of Vaidyapara, Laxmichara and Matiranga. Sahab Uddin, former president and contractor of Ramgarh Upazila Awami League, said the UPDF terrorists stopped work in 2018-19 after the LGED started construction of a bridge worth Tk 2.13 crore in the Abhya area on the Ramgarh-Matiranga border. . At that time, they did not allow the construction of two more bridges over Laxmichara and Dhalia canals of the same project. As a result, LGED canceled the project of constructing 3 bridges.
Sources said that they do not allow any work to be done to develop bridges, roads or communication system in the area to keep their dormitory safe.
Meanwhile, under LGED’s DDRRIP project, the construction work of Khagrabil GC Manikchhari GC Vaya Batnatali Bazar road worth Tk 1.5 crore in 2019-20 has also been stopped. According to the concerned department, the work of 1700 meter long HBB (Brick Soling) road was stopped several times after the commencement of work. Later, they managed the UPDF with donations and completed most of the work, but they are not allowing the work of the 250 meter section at the end of the road. According to local sources, that part is not being allowed to work for the purpose of keeping the communication disconnected.
LGED’s Ramgarh Upazila Engineer Tanmoy Nath admitted that the construction work on the Vaidyapara Bridge and Khagrabil-Batnatali road had been halted. This matter has been informed to the higher authorities including the project director. If the contractor cannot work, the project will be canceled.
Ramgarh Upazila Chairman Bishwa Pradeep Karbari said the Vaidyapara Bridge construction project is a project of Khagrachhari MP’s election promise. Although the concerned contractor did not say anything about it, he informed the matter to the Ramgarh BGB commander after getting information from the locals. The commander also told him that the BGB would provide security if the concerned contractor wanted.
Meanwhile, he said he did not know anything about the closure of the government development project in Ramgarh worth about Tk 8 crore. Mu. Mahmud Ullah Maruf. However, he said he would look into it now.
Meanwhile, UPDF Central Publicity and Publication Secretary Niron Chakma’s mobile phone was called several times to make a statement on the allegation of stopping work on government development projects but no connection was found.
