❐ BD Digest Desk
In Bauphal, Patuakhali, 318 projects have been taken up under the Rural Infrastructure Reform (TR/Kabikha) program in the fiscal year 2025-26. A total of 3 crore 92 lakh 99 thousand 604 taka has been allocated for these projects. There have been allegations that the allocated money has been withdrawn without implementing most of the projects taken up in 15 unions of the upazila.
The projects undertaken under TR/Kabikha include construction and renovation of dirt roads, filling of school-college, madrasa and mosque grounds, repair of various infrastructures and installation of deep tube wells.
After visiting various areas of the upazila and comparing the actual situation with the list of projects, it was found that more than half of the 318 projects have no visible signs of work. Again, there are allegations that even though little work has been done on some projects, the entire allocated money has been withdrawn.
Tk 1,31,265 has been allocated for the development of the Jama Masjid and Eidgah ground at Abdul Jabbar Mridha Bari, Ghuchrakathi, Ward No. 5, Dhulia Union. Locals claim that the Eidgah ground was already paved. No new earth filling work was done there. However, there are allegations that the allocated money has been withdrawn by showing the earth filling the Eidgah ground without doing any work.
Information has been received that another 115,000 taka has been allocated for the development of the Baitus Salah Jame Mosque in the same location.
Locals allege that allocations have been taken for two projects using different names for the same place. They claim that although minor renovations have been done at the mosque, a large portion of the money allocated for filling the Eidgah ground has been withdrawn without spending it.
Sharif Tousifur Rahman Rafa, former joint convener of Baufal Upazila Chhatra Dal and a resident of Dhulia, said that he had never heard of any of the projects other than the one or two on the list. He said that no one locally was aware of many of these projects.
According to him, government funds may have been embezzled by showing fake or unimplemented projects in the project list.
Tk 2 lakh has been allocated for the repair of the dirt road from Mannat Khan’s house to the paved road of Palli Vidyut in the Dakshin Bilbilas area of Baufal Union.
Locals allege that no earthworks or renovations have been carried out on the road as per the allocated amount. Even on site, no visible signs of any recent work on the road development were found. Locals allege that the allocated money has been withdrawn without doing any work.
The earthen road was supposed to be reconstructed from the west side of Ruhul Amin Howlader’s house in Alipura village, ward number 8 of the same union to Mirza’s house in the north. But there are allegations that the work on that project has not been done. However, the 2 lakh taka allocated for the project has been withdrawn.
1 lakh 77 thousand taka has been allocated for the earthen road reconstruction project from Afcherer’s garage in Gosinga village of Ward No. 1 of Baufal Sadar Union to the SP paved road in the west. However, no work has been done there. Rather, there is no earthen road from Afcherer’s garage to the west. There is the Baufal-Boga highway in that direction.
In this regard, Mosharraf Hossain Khan Liton, president of Baufal Upazila Fishermen’s Association and resident of Baufal Union, said, “As far as I know, most of the projects in the union have not been implemented. Only nominal work has been done on a few projects. Dissatisfaction has been created among the people of the area by not carrying out the projects properly. Besides, the image of the government has been tarnished.”
The dirt road from the northwest side of Ishaq Fakir’s house in Ward No. 4 of Daspara Union was supposed to be reconstructed to the pole of Hona Gazi Canal. But it is alleged that the allocated Tk 2.30 lakh was withdrawn without doing that work.
Daspara Union BNP President Ali Azam Chowdhury said, “To my knowledge, the dirt road up to the Sonagachi Canal in Daspara Ward No. 4 has not been reconstructed. Apart from this, there are several other projects in Daspara that have not been completed. The bills have been withdrawn after only minimal work has been done on some projects.”
Multiple sources claim that the project list of 15 unions in the upazila contains names of some projects whose actual existence has not been found. There are also allegations that a large part of the allocation has been withdrawn after minimal work has been done on some projects.
Information has been received that 115,000 taka has been allocated for the repair and renovation of the ‘Journalists’ Club’ on the fourth floor of Abdul Khalek Akon’s building, adjacent to the Upazila Parishad gate, in Bauphal Municipality.
However, no signs of renovation work were seen on site against the allocation. Questions have also been raised about the provision of undertaking such projects for repairs and renovations with government funds in a rented building.
Shafiqul Islam, general secretary of the Journalists Club, said, “Neither I nor my president know that a project has been given in the name of our club. Since we know nothing about the project, there is no question of withdrawing money.”
Apart from this, information has also been received that 1 lakh 15 thousand taka has been allocated for the repair and renovation of the Quran Project Independent Iftedayi Madrasa located on the west side of the Ansar VDP office in the Upazila Parishad premises of Baufal Municipality. However, questions have been raised by those concerned that there is no provision for taking up any project in the municipality with the money for rural infrastructure renovation.
The dirt road from Zakir Chowkidar’s house to Barek Chowkidar’s house in Sultanabad village of Ward No. 6 of Nazirpur Union was supposed to be reconstructed. But there are allegations that the work on that road has not been done. There are also allegations that the 1 lakh 15 thousand taka allocated for the project has been withdrawn without implementing the work.
In this regard, Nazirpur Union Panel Chairman Mousumi Akhter Ruma said, “The projects given by the Union Parishad have been completed. I do not know whether the projects given on the recommendation of the political party have been implemented or not.”
There are rules for installing detailed information signboards at project work sites. The signboards are supposed to mention the name of the project and work details, fiscal year, allocation amount and information about the implementing authority. But these information signboards were not seen in various project areas. As a result, questions have also been raised about transparency and accountability regarding the allocation, type of work and implementation of the project.
A source in the concerned department said that out of 317 projects, more than 100 projects have not been implemented yet. However, the money for these projects has been withdrawn and kept with the Project Implementation Officer (POIO). The source also claims that perhaps at some point this money will be shared. The project implementation period ended on June 30 of this year.
Regarding the complaint, Bauphal Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Md. Rafiqul Islam said, ‘These projects were not taken up during his time, they were taken up during the time of the previous Project Implementation Officer. He did not find any irregularities in the projects he inspected on-site after joining. However, if the project work is not being done anywhere or if there are allegations of irregularities, the matter will be investigated.’
In this regard, Upazila Project Implementation Committee President and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Saleh Ahmed said, ‘According to the rules, the work of these projects is supposed to be completed. If any project work is not implemented, we will get it done. Or action will be taken against the project CPC.’
https://stapravda.ru/20221228/reyting_samyh_populyarnyh_hostingov_v_rossii_196445.html, рейтинг хостингов России подтверждает, что выбор надежного провайдера важен для бизнеса.