A road-widening project covering less than four kilometres in Khulna has remained incomplete for 14 years despite repeated expressions of dissatisfaction by successive prime ministers, while its estimated cost has surged from Tk98.9 crore to Tk259 crore.
The latest proposal to further raise the project cost to Tk 280 crore prompted the current prime minister to order an investigation instead of approving the revision.
Yet the project has seen no progress. Construction has remained completely suspended for the past nine months.
The contractor, Mahbub Brothers, completed only part of the work before withdrawing payments that exceeded the value of the completed construction. The Khulna Development Authority (KDA) later terminated the contract and imposed penalties on the firm.
Located on the southeastern edge of Khulna city, the 3.77-kilometre Shipyard Road serves as one of the city’s main gateways. During the dry season, commuters endure severe dust pollution, while in the monsoon the road turns into a muddy, waterlogged stretch, causing immense hardship for residents.
The project to widen the road was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on 30 July 2013, at an estimated cost of Tk98.9 crore. It was originally scheduled for completion by 30 June 2014.
However, after work failed to begin on time, the project was revised in 2020, raising the cost to Tk259 crore. At the time, then prime minister Sheikh Hasina expressed frustration over the prolonged delay.
Six years later, the project remains far from completion.
Subsequently, citing rising construction material costs and design changes, authorities sought a third revision, proposing to increase the project cost to Tk280 crore.
At the Ecnec meeting on 9 June this year, the current prime minister rejected the proposal and ordered an investigation into the project.
Of the revised project cost, Tk99 crore has been allocated for land acquisition and Tk155 crore for physical construction.
Mahbub Brothers withdrew Tk70.36 crore against the Tk155-crore work order despite failing to complete the project.
After repeated failures to meet deadlines, KDA cancelled the contractor’s agreement on 7 August last year. The following month, Mahbub Brothers filed a lawsuit seeking Tk60 crore in compensation.
Road barely usable
Large craters on the approach to the Rupsha Bridge have turned into ponds, making the road virtually impassable whenever it rains.
The broken, muddy road has become the site of frequent accidents involving both small and large vehicles.
The prolonged suffering of commuters has been raised repeatedly in parliament. The administrator of Khulna City Corporation has also written to several ministers seeking urgent intervention.
The project has also come under scrutiny over allegations of irregularities.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), after excavating sections of the road for inspection, found that several layers of construction materials required under the project design were either missing or inadequate.
KDA Chairman Md Jahangir Hossain told TIMES of Bangladesh that any officials found negligent or involved in corruption in collusion with the contractor would face action following an investigation.
He also acknowledged that the deteriorated condition of the road and the available budget were insufficient to complete the project.
Ten educational institutions are located along both sides of Shipyard Road. The area also once housed 27 rice mills, around 250 timber depots and more than 450 businesses in the Bandabazar area.
Business owners say the poor condition of the road has severely affected commercial activities, estimating their annual losses at nearly Tk 200 crore.
Cabinet secretary expresses anger during inspection
Following the prime minister’s directive in June, the government formed a three-member investigation committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani.
During a visit to the project site on Saturday, the cabinet secretary expressed dissatisfaction with the officials responsible for the project.
After the inspection, he said the committee would examine the quality of the ongoing work, determine why the project had taken so long to complete, assess its current status and recommend measures to ensure its early completion.
