500 rod grills disappear from Narasunda River
Around 500 rod grills have disappeared from the boundary of the Narasunda River Beautification Project in Kishoreganj. The grills are worth more than Tk 2.5 million.
Locals complain that no investigation has been conducted or action taken so far to determine how and by whom the government property was stolen. They allege that government assets are being stolen one after another due to the indifference and lack of surveillance by the relevant authorities.
A visit to the Narasunda Beautification Project area from Kachari Bazar Bridge to Bara Bazar Fish Mahal Bridge found that rod grills were missing from various sections of the boundary on both sides of the river. In some places, long stretches of the grills have disappeared, leaving the boundary virtually unprotected.
Kishoreganj Municipality Administrator and Deputy Secretary of the Local Government Division Jebunnaher Shammi said, “I have no information about this. I don’t know anything.” Kishoreganj Municipality Executive Engineer Rafiqul Islam said, “LGED implemented the project, but it did not hand it over to us.
I will visit the site and talk to the municipal administrator.”
LGED Executive Engineer in Kishoreganj Enayet Kabir said, “Our responsibility was to implement the project, and we did so. They are responsible for maintaining the project.”
According to locals, the grills have been stolen gradually over a long period, but the authorities concerned have taken no action.
Local residents complain that there is inadequate surveillance along various parts of the Narasunda riverbank even during the day. The situation becomes more critical after evening.
As most of the streetlights along the walkway are broken or out of order, the entire area is plunged into darkness.
Locals allege that criminals are taking advantage of the situation to commit various crimes, including robberies. In addition, several spots along the riverbank are reportedly being used as hangouts by drug users. As a result, many people avoid using the walkway after evening due to security concerns.
Municipal residents Azizul Riyad and Shakibur, among others, said government property is disappearing due to the indifference of the Kishoreganj municipal authorities and negligence by the employees concerned in performing their duties. They also alleged that a gang has been stealing various parts of government infrastructure due to a lack of regular monitoring by law enforcement agencies.
Work on the Narasunda Beautification Project began in 2014. The estimated cost of the project was Tk 110 crore. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Kishoreganj Municipality jointly implemented the project under the supervision of the district administration. The project was completed in 2016. However, various complaints were raised about the project’s cost and quality of work during its implementation.
