Amtali (Barguna) Correspondent

The work on the road from Chalavhanga culvert to Loda Canal in Chawra Union of Amtali Upazila has not been completed even in the past year. Contractor Shahin Khan has abandoned the work. Thousands of people in the area have been suffering due to this. There are allegations that the contractor has already collected half the bill by managing the LGED office. Locals have demanded that this work be completed quickly. It is reported that a 3,160-meter road from Chalabhanga culvert in Chawra union of Amtoli upazila to the beginning of Loda canal is being constructed. Upazila Engineering Department invited tenders for the construction of this road. One crore sixty-seven lakh fourteen thousand 689 taka was allocated for the work. The tender for the work was held on April 25, 2023. A contracting company named Messrs. Rahman Traders got the work. The work was supposed to start on May 1, 2023. The contractor started the road work in June that year. The term of the work expired on November 30 last year. After starting the work, the contractor managed the Upazila Engineer’s office and withdrew the money in two installments. But Upazila Engineer Md. Idrisur Rahman does not know how much money he took. There has been no news of the contractor in the last two years since the money was withdrawn. Locals complain that contractor Shahin Khan did not give the width and depth of the road as per the tender. He abandoned the work and left. The road has been in that condition for the last two years. Engineer Idrisur Rahman added that the contractor has not applied for an extension of time even though the work period has exceeded one year. For the past two years, people have been having difficulty moving due to the poor condition of the road. People are suffering a lot while moving on this road. Locals Rachana Begum and Kamal said that the contractor dug up the road and left behind sand and rubble. But he has not been seen in the last two years. This is causing problems for the people of the area. Contractor Shaheen Khan admitted to delaying the road work and said, “We will apply for an extension of the work period. We will complete the work within the next two months.” Amtali Upazila Engineer Md. Idrisur Rahman said, “The contractor has withdrawn a large part of the money allocated in two installments of that road without completing the work. My previous contractor gave him a discount on the work bill.” He also said, “Even though the work period has ended, the contractor has not applied for time. Contractor has been putting off work like this for the past two years. If the work is not completed, he will not be given a discount on the remaining bill.”