A canal dredging project worth nearly Tk1.5 crore in Jhalakathi has largely remained on paper, even a year after its completion deadline.
Official records indicate that most of the work has been finished, but the canals continue to remain clogged with garbage, leaving conditions unchanged on the ground.
Residents have alleged that funds were misappropriated through collusion between the contractor and the municipality.
Seven canals in Jhalakathi municipal area have for years turned into dumping grounds due to prolonged neglect, creating foul odours, health risks, and persistent hardship for thousands of people living nearby.
To address the situation, the municipality launched a dredging initiative on 28 August 2024 using its own funds.
The contract, worth Tk1,33,377, was awarded to Dhaka-based Azmir Builders, with a completion deadline for 19 February 2025.
Locals say the dredging is visible only in documents.
They allege that limited work was carried out in only two or three canals, while the rest saw no activity, leaving encroachment and pollution intact.
Local resident Monir Hossain said the municipality had siphoned off a significant amount of money in the name of dredging seven canals.
He said only three canals showed signs of minimal work, while the others remained untouched.
From Fakir Bari area, Monsur Ali said the project was staged as a pretext for embezzlement.
“All canals remain filled with garbage as before, and the suffering will worsen in the upcoming monsoon,” he said.
Riaz Hossain from Kobiraj Bari said residents were already facing severe hardship, pointing out that canal outlets had not been cleared.
He said there was no proper drainage path for water or waste, resulting in waterlogging even before the monsoon.
“As a result, waterlogging has already started before the monsoon, and it will worsen significantly during the rains,” he added.
The municipality and the contractor blamed each other over the situation.
Contractor ABM Sarwar Hossain said the canals had not been dredged in the past 50 years, making the work difficult due to encroachment and pollution.
He also said half of the outstanding bill had not yet been paid by the municipality.
Jhalakathi municipality engineer TM Rezaul Haque Rizvi said the contractor had been issued a notice.
“The remaining dredging work will be completed soon to reduce public suffering,” he said.
Jhalakathi municipality has a population of around 50,000, with at least 20,000 residents living around the seven canals affected by the project.
