Seven years on, Tk 130cr Sunamganj bridges still unfinished

Tk 130cr Sunamganj bridges still unfinished.

Sunamganj, Oct 31 - Two major bridges in Sunamganj’s Tahirpur upazila, together worth Tk 130 crore, remain incomplete nearly seven years after construction began, despite repeated deadline extensions and the disbursement of over 80 percent of project funds.

The projects, the ‘Shah Arefin–Advaita Maitri Bridge and the Dampur Bazar Bridge’, were launched to boost communication, trade and tourism in the remote, resource-rich border region. But, delays, poor management and disputes between the contractor and authorities have left both structures in limbo.

According to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), construction of the 750-metre Maitri Bridge over the Jadukata River at Binnakuli Bazar began on 4 December 2018, with an estimated cost of Tk 85.99 crore.

The contractor, Toma Construction & Co. Ltd, owned by Awami League leader Lion Jahangir Alam Manik, received Tk 67.61 crore in payments.

The 450-metre Dampur Bazar–Baliaghat New Market Bridge over the Patlai River, estimated at Tk 43.76 crore, has already seen Tk 35.56 crore disbursed. Its initial completion date was set for 2021.

Although LGED officials claim that 78 percent of the Maitri Bridge and 85 percent of the Dampur Bridge have been completed, locals strongly contest these figures, saying visible progress falls far short of the money spent.

A recent visit to the sites revealed desolate scenes -- scattered building materials, deserted makeshift offices, and no active construction. Locals say work has been stalled for months, with no sign of the contractor’s staff.

“The contractor’s team has disappeared,” said Tofazzal Hossain, president of the Charagaon-Barchhara Workers’ Welfare Association. “If this bridge were completed, thousands of people in the border areas — including farmers, labourers, and traders — would benefit greatly.”

The incomplete bridges have caused immense frustration among residents. Locals from Tahirpur, Bishwambharpur, Madhyanagar and Dharmapasha upazilas say the projects were expected to transform transport and trade for over a million people, improving links with Sunamganj, Netrakona, and Dhaka.

“This bridge could have changed our communication network entirely,” said Shahin Ahmed, a resident of Binnakuli. “But even after seven years, it remains half-built.”

Md Nasir, project manager at Toma Construction, said the company had suffered major setbacks due to floods and the pandemic. “We lost millions of taka in materials when floodwaters damaged pillars and submerged our equipment. Despite the losses, we are trying to finish the project within the next six months.”

LGED officials, however, say the contractor has already been terminated for failing to meet the deadline.

District LGED Executive Engineer Md Anwar Hossain confirmed that the contract with Toma Construction was cancelled.

“We have prepared a new estimate for the remaining work and sent it to the project office. It was returned for revision, but we will resubmit it soon. Once approved, a new tender will be floated to appoint another contractor,” he said. - UNB