United News of Bangladesh

Major cracks have developed on the approach road of a newly constructed bridge in Kachua upazila of Chandpur even before its official inauguration, triggering concern and anger among local residents over the quality of work and potential safety risks. The damage was reported at the bridge being constructed on the Majhigacha-Nindpur Ronger Bazar connecting road at Haripur village under Bitara union at a cost of Tk 2.32 crore. According to officials of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the project is being implemented under the “Programme for Supporting Rural Bridges,” financed jointly by the government of Bangladesh and the World Bank. The project, which includes a nearly 12-metre RCC girder bridge and its connecting road, is being carried out by the firm – Harun and Sons. A visit to the site revealed that soil beneath the guard walls on both sides of the bridge had eroded significantly, while large cracks and holes had developed at several points along the approach road. Even light rainfall has reportedly washed away soil and damaged the road surfacing, intensifying fears among residents ahead of the monsoon season. Local residents, including Md Hazrat Ali and Md Jilani, expressed frustration over the apparent poor-quality construction. They questioned how a project worth millions of taka could begin deteriorating before completion, warning of greater risks during heavy rains. About the allegations, Harunur Rashid of Harun and Sons said recent rainfall had damaged parts of the approach road and that repair work was already underway. He assured that any future damage would also be repaired. LGED Kachua Upazila Engineer Abdul Alim Liton said sections of the project were affected by recent heavy rainfall and that authorities are investigating the matter. He added that the contractor has not yet received the final payment, which will only be released after a full quality assessment.