The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday afternoon conducted a drive at an under-construction bridge in Basail upazila of Tangail, built at a cost of Tk10,09,92,000, following allegations that bamboo was used instead of iron rods (rebar) in casting the footpath slab.
The drive was led by Assistant Director Md Biplob Hossain of the ACC Tangail district office, accompanied by Deputy Assistant Director Md Based Ali and other officials.
Speaking after the operation, Biplob said that initial observations indicate corruption took place. He noted that officials broke open the footpath slab and railing pillars to find less rebar than required.
While the bamboo used was not directly visible on site during the drive, it was observed in shuttering through media footage. A field report prepared on site will be reviewed by experts, and based on initial findings, details will be submitted to the Commission for further instructions.
Meanwhile, police arrested sub-contractor Shah Alam, 44, on Tuesday evening near the Maijkhara bridge in Basail municipality. Shah Alam, from Balapara in Pirgachha Upazila of Rangpur, was apprehended following a case filed at Basail Police Station on Tuesday by Basail Upazila Engineer Kazi Fattaur Rahman.
The case names main contractor SM Jahangir Alam as the principal accused and sub-contractor Shah Alam as the co-accused.
Following the incident, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Chief Engineer Belal Hossain issued three separate office orders and letters taking administrative action. Sub-Assistant Engineer Md Moniruzzaman of the Basail upazila engineer’s office has been temporarily suspended.
In addition, show-cause notices were served on Tangail District LGED Executive Engineer Jahanara Parveen and Basail Upazila Engineer Kazi Fattaur Rahman, directing them to submit written explanations within seven working days for alleged negligence of duty.
The LGED office order noted that using bamboo instead of specified construction materials severely damaged the government’s image.
To investigate the corruption, three separate inquiry committees have been formed and directed to submit their findings within three days. A two-member committee has been formed by the LGED Chief Engineer’s office, comprising Headquarters Executive Engineer Mohammad Shakil Hossain and Senior Assistant Engineer Md Zakiul Alam.
A five-member committee formed by Tangail LGED, headed by Senior Assistant Engineer Md Touhidur Rahman as convenor. Its other members are Tangail Sadar Upazila LGED Engineer Iftekhar Ahmed (member secretary), Tangail LGED Assistant Engineer Sakib-Ul-Hafiz, Sub-Assistant Engineer Md Mostafizur Rahman, and Lab Technician Md Alobbor Hossain.
A three-member committee formed on Monday by the Basail Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) office.
Earlier on Tuesday, LGED Dhaka Region Superintending Engineer Abul Manjur Muhammad Shadeq visited the bridge site. Basail Upazila Engineer Kazi Fattaur Rahman said that contractor SM Jahangir and sub-contractor Shah Alam carried out the walkway and footpath casting at night without informing anyone in their absence, calling the action flawed and irregular.
Upon learning of it, higher authorities were informed, a police case was lodged, and legal and administrative steps will follow laboratory testing and the probe report.
Basail UNO Md Iqbal Hossain confirmed that an on-site visit verified the replacement of rebar with bamboo, adding that legal action through the relevant department will be taken upon receiving the three-member probe report.
Tangail LGED Executive Engineer Jahanara Parveen emphasised that such irregularities in multi-crore taka development projects will not be tolerated and further legal measures will depend on the investigation findings.
The 90.06-metre-long bridge is being constructed over the Maragangi river in the Maijkhara area of Basail municipality on the Basail GC-Kauljani UP via Maijkhara GPS road at an estimated cost of Tk10,09,92,000. A joint venture firm, M/S Yunus Al Mamun and M/S Zakir Enterprise, was awarded the project.
Construction began in September 2022 with an initial completion deadline of February this year, which was later extended as work was not finished in time.
At present, approximately 80 per cent of the construction is complete, leaving 20 per cent remaining.
According to local residents, workers of the contracting firm began casting the bridge’s footpath slab using bamboo instead of iron rods around 10:30pm on Sunday. Local people noticed the act, protested, recorded video on mobile phones, and halted the work.
However, after the residents departed, the workers resumed casting later that night and completed the slab. The mobile video recorded by locals subsequently went viral on social media, bringing the matter to the attention of authorities and media outlets, which prompted the official inspections and investigations.
