Kuthibari embankment collapses within 2 months after construction
Desk Report: The embankment was built to protect a Kuthi Bari (bungalow) once owned by Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, on the bank of the Padma River. Part of the Kuthibari embankment in Kushtia, built with a cost of around Tk 200 crore, has collapsed mere two months after its construction. Bangladesh government built the embankment to protect a Kuthi Bari (bungalow) once owned by Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, on the bank of the Padma River.
River erosion began destroying the embankment in the Kalua area since Monday.
Local public representatives and people alleged that the construction firm, responsible for the embankment project, had engaged in various irregularities during the implementation of this project, and then abandoned the project in an unfinished state.
There are allegations that the embankment collapsed due to the negligence of the contractor firm.
According to sources, an embankment stretching 3,720 meter on the right bank of Padma River was built under the supervision of Kushtia Water Development Board, with funding from the government.
The contractor firm and the Water Development Board completed project on June 30, albeit reportedly in an unfinished state. Of the 1,300,000 blocks built for the project, 250,000 remain unused in the construction of the embankment.
Due to the rapid increase of water level in the Padma River, part of the newly built embankment began collapsing.
Speaking with the correspondent, Koya Union Parishad Chairman Ziaul Islam said: “Part of the embankment, located in Kalua area, became damaged by the river erosion on Sunday afternoon.
“The river swallowed a 50-meter part of the embankment in just moments. The river erosion is so fierce, all of the embankment could be lost in a matter of days.”
The chairman continued: “The contractor firm, run by influential people, used sub-par construction material, failed to follow the project blueprint, wasted building material, squandered funds, and engaged in irregularities.
“They handed the project over in an unfinished state.”
Meanwhile, Kuthibari Embankment Project Director Engineer Moniruzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune: “On a tip off that part of the embankment has been damaged in Kalua, officials of the Kushtia Water Development Board have inspected the area.
“We have arranged for sand bags to be dropped in the damaged part of the embankment, to prevent further erosion.”