Two solitary pillars stand over Telparai Canal for a bridge that is yet to be built, while nearby iron rods gather rust. Yet, no effective initiative is visible to complete the remaining construction work.
Instead of alleviating public hardship, the prolonged delay in construction has severely escalated the misery of local residents, forcing farmers, pedestrians, and commuters to travel by crossing a risky, makeshift bamboo bridge.
Despite extending the deadline twice, the failure to complete the bridge has raised serious questions about the contractor’s accountability and the effectiveness of project monitoring.
This is the scene of the under-construction bridge over Telparai Canal, located on the west side of Omda Mia Sawdagor Bari in Damdama village of Fatikchhari, Chattogram.
Even after two deadline extensions, the contracting firm, M/S King Corporation, has failed to complete the construction work.
Consequently, the office of Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) has issued show-cause notices to the firm on three separate occasions. However, when the construction will finally be completed remains entirely uncertain.
Mounting misery and negligence
According to sources at PIO office, the initiative to build the 15-metre-long bridge over Telparai Canal was taken in the 2022-2023 fiscal year with an allocation of Tk1 crore 7 lakh 36 thousand.
Although work was scheduled to begin in June 2023, it only started in June 2024. Subsequently, the deadline was extended twice – first in 2025 and then in 2026. Despite these extensions, the contractor failed to finish the work within the scheduled timeframe.
The progress of the construction work currently stands at 60 per cent, though the contracting firm has already withdrawn approximately Tk66 lakh.
Expressing deep frustration, local farmer Abul Kalam said, “We have been suffering for years due to the lack of a bridge. Although work started after a long wait, it came to a halt right after constructing two pillars, forcing us to cross the makeshift bamboo bridge at great risk. We demand the immediate completion of the bridge.”
Raising questions over supervision, local resident Md Anwar Hossain said, “If the PIO office had prioritised the suffering of locals and pressed the contractor more firmly, the work would have been completed long ago. There is negligence on the part of both the contractor and the PIO office.”
Lelang Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Md Sarowar Uddin Chowdhury Shaheen said residents of the Damdama area had been suffering for a long time due to the absence of a bridge.
“After a lot of persuasion, construction work finally began, but owing to the contractor’s extreme negligence, the project has been lying incomplete for years,” he said, adding that the contractor has assured that construction will be finished soon.
When contacted, Md Ershad, proprietor of the contracting firm M/S King Corporation, said construction work would resume within the next few days and promised that the bridge would be opened for public movement at the earliest possible time.
Meanwhile, Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Md. Abu Naser said the work order and project duration for the bridge have already expired. He mentioned that if the project duration is extended, the duration of the work order may also be extended.
“The contractor has been urged repeatedly to complete the work quickly, and three show-cause notices have already been issued to the firm for failing to finish the project,” he added.
