Road Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam has claimed that excess soil was removed from the base of Padma Rail Bridge pillars out of necessity, dismissing concerns raised by a viral video.
The minister made the statement while responding to questions from journalists at the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon.
A video showing soil being cut away from beneath the pillars of the Padma Rail Bridge in Fatullah, Narayanganj, had gone viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion and criticism.
“As far as I know, the soil was excavated. The matter is not actually like that. When the bridge was built, certain obstructions were kept – you will see that small barriers were created. Soil was removed from there,” Rabiul Alam said.
He said the soil removal is currently being viewed negatively, but it was part of the construction work and had not been removed for a long time.
“Because it had become a raised area, some items were stolen or were at risk of being stolen using ladders from there. It was removed after overall consideration,” the minister added.
“There was excess soil, placed to create obstructions, as an aid to construction work. You will see that during bridge construction, certain portions are filled with soil, and after the bridge is completed, it is removed again,” Sheikh Rabiul Alam said.
He said that since the issue has already drawn attention, the government has decided to remove the soil and plant trees in its place.
