Slow road work leading to wildlife endangerment in Lawachhara
Movement of cargo traffic -- transporting import and export goods from India -- is increasingly becoming a threat to wildlife and biodiversity at the Lawachhara National Forest as a vital road between the towns of Moulvibazar and Kamalganj upazila remain unrepaired for at least three years.
The 33 kilometre-long road is the only means of communications for 1.5 lakh residents of 16 surrounding unions. Widely known as Chatlapur Check Post Road, it connects Moulvibazar and Shamshernagar in Kamalganj upazila.
Finally, on September 15 last year, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) undertook a repair project for the road, at a cost of Tk 42.11 crore.
Even though deadline to complete the work ended on the same date this year, the road still lies in a deplorable state as the contractor firm completed only 30 percent of the work within the stipulated time.
During a visit to the area recently, this correspondent found the road and its sides strewn with various construction materials. In many parts of the road, there was not even any sign of construction work.
In order to evade accidents or damage to precious cargo as well as the vehicles, heavy trucks were seen taking a detour through Lawachhara in Srimangal.
Nurul Muhaimin Milton, a resident of Patanushar area in Kamalganj upazila, said the Cumilla based contractor firm, RAB-RC Pvt Ltd, dug up the road in many places and left the site after the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.
Sufferings of locals, especially of critical patients, pregnant women and the elderly, are inexplicable, said Chatlapur resident Abdul Muhith, a village doctor.
Joly Paul, convener of Lawachhara Bon O Jiboboichitra Rokhya Andolon, said, they have long been demanding a ban on through traffic on the Lawachhara road for the protection of wildlife in the Lawachhara National Forest. But lately, huge trucks and lorries started plying the road day and night.
The road work had been slow from the beginning and local on various occasions protested negligence of the contractor firm, she also said.
Contacted, Muhibur Rahman, the proprietor of the firm, said they submitted an application to the authorities, seeking extension of the deadline so they can resume the work.
Executive Engineer Zia Uddin of RHD in Moulvibazar said the contractor firm in its application said they could not complete the work due to Covid-19 situation and the monsoon.
He also said that they have asked the firm to finish the work at the soonest and the RHD was in the process of undertaking another project to repair the remaining 13 kilometres of the road.
After the attention of Mir Nahid Ahsan, deputy commissioner of Moulvibazar, was drawn on the matter, he told this correspondent that the contractor firm has been asked to finish the work within the stipulated time while ensuring quality of work.
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