OUR CORRESPONDENT, Tangail

Even before a new bridge in Tangail’s Basail upazila could be inaugurated, cracks have developed on the approach road at one end, raising questions about the quality of work and materials used in the construction.

The 70-metre bridge, built over a canal on the Saidampur Bazar-Kuratli road, connects residents of seven villages with the upazila headquarters.

According to sources at the LGED in Basail, contractor Bashed Engineers was assigned to construct the bridge at a cost of Tk 4.5 crore. Work began in April 2021, with an initial deadline of one year. However, the project faced considerable delays and the deadline was extended several times.

During a recent visit, cracks were seen on the approach road near Saidampur Bazar following incessant rainfall last week.

“The cracks appeared barely one and a half months after the road was constructed. Will the road remain usable if it rains for a few more days? It will likely collapse,” said Noni Gopal, a local.

Nur Nabi, manager of the contractor firm, said the approach road was constructed before Eid-ul-Fitr and the carpeting was done on new soil.

“Due to heavy rainfall recently and heavy traffic on the bridge, some parts of the road have developed cracks. Repairs will be carried out,” he said.

Contacted, Kazi Fattaur Rahman, upazila engineer in Basail, said the bridge work was still ongoing. “The area is low-lying and the soil is sandy, so the road surface likely could not hold up well following a downpour. The contractor will repair the cracks wherever they have appeared.”