MINTU DESHWARA

The approach roads on both ends of a newly constructed bridge in Ajmiriganj upazila of Habiganj remain incomplete even as the project’s deadline has expired.

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) initiated the Tk 5.18 crore project to construct the 83-metre bridge over the Kata Ganga river to connect Noagarh village in Ajmiriganj with Adarshabazar in neighbouring Baniachong upazila.

The construction work was awarded to Hasan Enterprise of Brahmanbaria under the Small Scale Rural Infrastructure Development Project (SDRIP). Work began in July 2022, with an initial deadline of June 18, 2025.

However, after the deadline expired with work remaining incomplete, the contractor was granted an additional nine months extension till March 18 this year. Even as the extended deadline expired, key components of the bridge, including approach roads on both ends, remain unfinished.

As such, local residents have long been facing hassles with their daily commute on the route.

Anamul Haque Milad, a local journalist, said, “The bridge has been a longstanding demand of the local residents. As the project began, we hoped it would mitigate our sufferings during daily commute. However, that has not been the case.”

“The construction work dragged on for much longer than anticipated and remains incomplete, thereby mounting our sufferings further,” said Junab Ali, a local union parishad member.

On site, the bridge’s main structure was seen largely complete, but without the connecting roads, it lies effectively unusable.

Residents alleged that the construction work progressed sluggishly since the beginning due to poor planning and lack of oversight, before remaining halted for more than a year following the political changeover in 2024.

They also alleged that a sub-contractor from Baniachong has been overseeing the work, Md

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