Allegations have been found in the construction of 49 houses under the Ashrayan-2 Project in Koyra Upazila, Khulna. These allegations had previously halted the project; however, construction work has now resumed.
Locals say that the chairman of the project implementation committee is bypassing other committee members, employing a contractor of his own choosing, and purchasing the construction materials for the project at his own will.
Earlier, Komol Kanti Mridha, a valiant freedom fighter, had filed an allegation of irregularities in the construction works of the local Bir Nibas project against Kamrul Islam, the contractor in question. The deputy commissioner's office of Khulna district issued a show-cause notice based on the allegations made.
Under the Ashrayan-2 Project, 49 semi-pucca houses are being constructed on 4.5 acres of procured land in South Madinabad village to provide homes for the landless and destitute in the Sadar area of Koyra Upazila. Each house is designed to include two rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, with a construction cost of Tk 3,05,000 per unit.
Ashrayan-2 Project, under the Prime Minister's Office, constructs housing for landless and destitute families. This rehabilitation effort began on February 20, 1972, in Charporagacha village, led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In 1996, his daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, revived these initiatives by introducing the 'Inclusive Development Model' to integrate marginalised people into the mainstream.
In a recent visit, this correspondent found that the houses are being constructed below the flood water level, risking the house floor sinking. Besides, substandard construction materials are seen being used. Although the plan was supposed to demolish the foundations of the previously poorly constructed houses and build new ones, it is not being done. Brickwork is ongoing on top of the old foundations, raising questions about the durability of the houses.
Several locals, including Al Amin, Abdus Salam, and Abul Kalam Sana, said that 38 tonnes of materials were separately allocated for sand filling. However, the project site was filled to rise above water level by illegally lifting sand from the Kapotakhsha River. Half of the allocation has been lost due to this illegal measure.
However, as the houses are located in a low-lying area, risks of flooding in light rains remain.
It has also been learned that in 2023, the then-Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mominur Rahman registered the land for the shelter project. There are allegations that the land's value was significantly overstated during the registration process. Additionally, the matter was discussed with the project's Member Secretary and PIO, Mamunur Rashid, Upazila Engineer Md Darul Huda, and Chairman of Koyra Sadar Upazila SM Baharul Islam. All three governmental stakeholders expressed that they were unaware of the issue.
Furthermore, there are accusations that the committee president is preparing bills and vouchers at his own discretion, allegedly without the knowledge of the member secretary and the members of the Project Implementation Committee, for the construction of 49 houses gifted by the Prime Minister.
Regarding this matter, Koyra Upazila Sujon President Mustafa Shafiqul Islam said that the 49 houses provided by the prime minister were supposed to be constructed through the supervision of a five-member committee.
“However, it is very unfortunate that the general members are unaware of the construction details,” he said as he further mentioned that just a few houses have actually been built using the previously rusted rods, expired cement, saltwater-mixed sand, and low-quality bricks. Although there were plans to demolish and rebuild the previously constructed 29 houses due to significant irregularities, the structures are still standing.
Additionally, instead of raising the foundation of the houses with three feet of sand as stipulated in the directive, only one and a half feet of sand has been used, putting the structures at risk.
When asked, the project’s construction contractor, Kamrul Islam, said, "I was contracted to build each house for Tk 39,000, excluding the cost of materials. The project president purchased the construction materials and oversaw the work himself.
“Moreover, the project’s blueprint and estimates are being followed for the house construction. Therefore, there is no issue with the quality of the work," he claimed.
Regarding this, the former acting upazila nirbahi officer and Project Implementation Committee president ABM Tariq Uz-Zaman said, "Before I took responsibility for the project, there were some irregularities. As the foundations (platforms) of 29 houses were not concreted, I instructed that their platforms and walls be demolished and rebuilt.
“Sixteen houses have been demolished and reconstructed. The remaining 13 houses will also be demolished and rebuilt according to the design," the former acting UNO said.
The current Koyra Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Ruli Biswas, said, "I have just joined. I am not aware of this issue. I will investigate the matter."
