A canal excavation gone wrong?

The excavation of a 13-kilometre canal in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila has brought significant hardship to residents of Charmuraridah and Makimpur villages.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board began the excavation in December 2022, completing it in July 2023 at a cost of Tk 2.55 crore. While the project was awarded to Yunus and Brothers Pvt Ltd, the work was completed by sub-contractor Raees Uddin.

However, locals allege that some influential individuals, backed by the ruling Awami League at the time, profited from the project by selling the excavated earth to nearby brick kilns.

In violation of regulations, parts of the canal were dug to depths of 25-30 feet and widths of 60-70 feet. The excessive extraction led to the collapse of the canal banks during heavy monsoon rains, causing flooding in homes, roads, and farmlands in the surrounding villages, said locals.

Villagers fear further collapses, which could worsen the situation. "They dug the canal close to my homestead despite our requests. The bank collapsed, flooding my house and causing significant damage. Half of my home was washed away, and I live in constant fear of losing the rest," said Azironnessa, a resident of Charmuraridah.

Bahar Ali of Makimpur noted that the locals were powerless to stop the irregularities due to the political influence of those involved.

Attempts to contact sub-contractor Raees Uddin were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off.

Ranjan Kumar Das, executive engineer of BWDB in Jhenaidah, said, "I have visited the site, and two officers have been assigned to survey the damage. Higher authorities have been informed, and steps will be taken to address the irregularities."