United News of Bangladesh

The residents of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat are enduring extreme hardship as a vital road, left dug up for construction work, has turned into a hazardous waterway. Makeshift rafts are now being used to cross the stretch, with accidents reported almost daily, yet authorities appear slow to intervene. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) confirmed that a Tk 5.87 crore allocation was approved for the improvement of the Duhuli–Jorgach GC Road (length: 5.25 km) in Chalbala Union. Barendra Construction Limited won the tender and deposited the required performance security, but the company could not start work as the work order had not been issued. In early August, however, another contractor allegedly began work on the project without authorisation. Complaints were subsequently lodged with the LGED Executive Engineer and Kaliganj police. Informal workers battle soaring inflation in Bangladesh Following administrative intervention, the unauthorised work was halted — but not before around 1.5 km of the road had been dug up, rendering it impassable. Locals say the stretch has since become a knee-deep canal, making walking extremely difficult and halting all vehicular movement, including vans, rickshaws and ambulances.