BRT girder tragedy: Company won’t get to work in Bangladesh after project completion
Says Road Transport and Bridges Minister
The Chinese company which was found responsible for the accident at Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line-3 project will not be allowed to work in Bangladesh anymore after the completion of this project.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said this following a query at a press conference at his secretariat office today (October 16, 2022).
When the incident took place on August 15, 79 percent work of the project was already completed, the minister said.
In this given situation, it was decided that the contractor will complete the rest of the project works, he added.
"The decision was taken considering the asset and money of the country in mind because it would take several years if any new contractor is appointed for the work," said the minister.
"They [the Chinese contractor will complete the remaining 20 percent work. After that the contractor will not be allowed to work in Bangladesh anymore," he said.
Five people, including two children, were crushed to death when a crane toppled over, making a segment of a viaduct fall on their car on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the capital's Uttara.
A probe committee led by Neelima Akhter, additional secretary of the Road Transport and Highway Division held the Chinese contractor, China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd, responsible for the negligence that caused the deaths.
However, they did not recommend any punitive action but revealed the findings of the probe on September 4 saying the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the implementing authority of the project, will take action in line with the probe body's findings.
The project work resumed after around one month of the tragedy.