Natakhola police probe centre: Construction work stops for fund crisis

Construction work of Natakhola Police Investigation Centre has remained incomplete for the last couple of months.

Manikganj Public Works Department (PWD) suspended the construction work in Harirampur upazila due to fund crisis.

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal formally inaugurated the police investigation centre on July 21, 2023, though about 20 percent work of the under-construction building still remain pending.

Locals said although the probe centre supposed to have 21 members, including an in-charge, nothing has been done so far to run it even after seven months of inauguration.

The door-less building is currently lying abandoned.

During a recent visit to the incomplete building, this correspondent saw some youths were roaming on different floors of the four-storied building as the contractor yet to setup all the doors.

Though sanitary and fittings works of the building has been done to some extent, its electrical work still remain incomplete till now.

Not only the colour of the building is fading away, one can notice many brick chips and debris are lying scattered on the floors of different rooms.

Besides, part of the main gate was also seen lying broken at the entrance of the newly constructed building.

A youth, seeking anonymity, said, "A major incident can occur at any time as many young boys and girls from different places passes their leisure time inside the abandoned building every day."

Housewife Aleya Begum of Natakhola area said as the building has been lying abandoned for long many teenagers take drugs inside it freely.3

"At least 13 cattle have been stolen from different houses of the village in the past, so I was really happy to hear that we are going to get a police investigation centre here," she said, adding that but the construction work has not been completed yet due to unknown reason.

Harirampur Upazila Parishad Chairman Dewan Saidur Rahman said the Padma river has separated over one lakh people living at different villages under Lechhraganj, Sutalari and Azimnagar unions from the mainland.

Moreover, four unions of Faridpur are also located in the same char areas.

Incidents like cattle theft and land disputes often occur in the remote char areas, surrounded by the Padma river, the UP chairman said.

Following repeated demand of local residents, the government took the initiative to construct the police investigation centre at Natakhola.

Abul Bashar Sabuj, former vice chairman of Harirampur Upazila Parishad, said local people are still not getting any benefit as work of the under-construction building is yet to be completed.

Manikganj PWD Executive Engineer Sharmin Akter said construction work of the four-storey police investigation centre in Natakhola, spending nearly Tk 3.80 crore, has been suspended due to lack of fund.

Though a total of Tk 2.55 crore has already been spent, about Tk 1.25 crore more is required to complete the remaining work, he added.