Construction work of govt building: Authority intervenes after half of the job done flouting rules

Half of the work of a government building has been completed without ensuring the quality of the rod and other materials.

Apart from this, various irregularities have been found in the construction work of Barni Union Health and Family Welfare Centre in Moulvibazar's Barlekha upazila.

The construction work is being supervised by the Department of Health Engineering but allegations have been raised that low-quality building materials have been used in the construction.

According to Health and Family Welfare office, a two-storey building is being constructed on the four-storey building of the Centre in Barlekha under the supervision of the Department of Health Engineering.

H Construction, a construction company, is doing the work worth Tk 1.44 crore. Construction of the building started after the inauguration on December 6 last year.

Locals said low quality rods, cement, bricks and sand have been used from the beginning of the construction of the building. Despite repeated objections from locals, the contractors continued their work.

Visiting the spot, it was seen that rods (non-grade) of three companies were used on the roof of the second floor of the under-construction health center. All of which have been used without laboratory tests confirming the quality of the rod. In addition, low quality bricks have also been used in the construction.

According to the contractor, 60 grade BSI rods have been sent for testing here. But in reality, rod (non-grade) binders of three other companies were found on the roof.

Talking to this correspondent, Iqbal Hossain, director of the contracting company, admitted the use of rods without laboratory tests.

Monirul Haque, Moulvibazar assistant engineer of the Department of Health Engineering and also the in charge of supervising the work, demanded the use of BSI rods in all parts of the roof for casting, but he could not show the rods everywhere.

Asked about the rod's laboratory test report, he said, "The report has not come yet. Not everything is reported. It has to be done in the light of experience."

Shafiqul Islam Pathan, executive engineer of the Health Engineering Department in Moulvibazar, said rod (non-grade) and low-quality materials of different companies have been used in most of the works of the building without ensuring the quality of the rods in the laboratory tests.

He said, the roof of the second floor of the health center scheduled to be cast on Sunday.

"We have stopped the casting due to some irregularities. No irregularities will be tolerated. If there has been any negligence, the contractor must redress," he added.

Barlekha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shamim Al Imran said, "I have visited the construction site after getting news and instructed the concerned to stop the construction work as irregularities were found."

The matter will be reported to the higher authorities, said the UNO.