Rasel Hawlader, Barguna

Allegations are being made against LGED and Amirul, the leader of the Water Management Cooperative Society, for embezzling allocated funds without digging the Jayalbhanga Canal in Taltoli Upazila of Barguna. They have been playing a joke on farmers in the name of digging canals. Three to four months ago, before the rains started, this reporter’s camera captured the canal being dug in two places, but several dams remain in the canal. This type of canal excavation did not benefit local farmers. The Bhagbatwaras have spent all the government money by leaving the canal soil in the canal. Even though no excavation was done, the concerned department paid 100% of the bill. According to LGED sources, the work for the 2023-24 fiscal year to resolve waterlogging had started in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Under the Sustainable Small-Scale Water Resources Development Project, the Khata Chora Water Management Cooperative Society was awarded the work at a cost of Tk 18 lakh 82 thousand for the excavation of 2.600 kilometers of the Jayalbhanga Canal in Pocha-Koralia Union of Taltoli Upazila of Barguna. The work is being managed by Taltoli Upazila LGED. The investigation revealed that Taltoli Upazila Engineer Md. Sakhawat Hossain and Special Service-1 (Outsourcing) District LGED Rezbi Hasan conspired with Amirul Islam Patwari, the president of the Khata Chora Water Management Cooperative Association, to collect the bill without digging the canal. During a field visit to the project area, it was observed that although some excavations were carried out along the banks of the canal, no signs of excavation were found in most parts of the canal. Although there were multiple dams in the canal, none of them were cut. The locals had repeatedly informed the authorities concerned about the status of the canal excavation before the rains started, but at that time, the locals felt that they were waiting and would pay the bill only when the canal was filled with rainwater. Now they have done so. Local farmers Nasir Faraji, Chunnu, Md. Habib told reporters, “What kind of canal is being cut? The canal is not cut.” They have made some kind of cut mark along the banks of the canal here and there, and the rest of the canal remains underwater as it is. You walk from one end of the canal to the other and see where the canal is cutting. Cutting like this will not benefit our farmers. There are two or three servants in the canal, not a single servant has been cut, how is the water flowing through here? It remains the same as before. Ripon Hang, a resident of the canal bank, said, “This is not a canal cut, only a little clearing is done on both sides from time to time. We live in a country of thieves.” Our problem is that they are eating up all the money for canal construction. I’m hearing about the LGD’s work, has any officer come to inspect the canal excavation? I haven’t seen any supervision so far. The money is being raised properly. Despite repeated attempts to contact Amerul Patwari, the president of the Khata Chora Water Management Cooperative Association (01742785959), to get his statement, the phone was not answered. Before the rains started, Taltoli Upazila Engineer Md. Sakhawat Hossain said that if the entire canal is not dug, there is no question of paying the bill. The bill will not be paid until the canal is dug. If the canal is filled with rainwater during the rainy season, the canal will have to be dug through irrigation, otherwise the bill will not be received. Currently, after paying the full bill, Engineer Sakhawat Hossain is not receiving the reporter’s phone. Barguna District Executive Engineer Md. Mehedi Hasan Khan said that the Jayalbhanga Canal in Taltoli is 2.600 kilometers long. We only billed for the amount of excavation that was done. No other bills were issued. So what’s the point of digging a canal if the water can’t move? He blames the locals. The reporter’s investigation revealed that the entire amount allocated for the excavation of the Jayalbhanga canal has been paid.