Lakshmipur embankment project: Work at snail's pace amid absence of major contractors

Highlights

• Meghna embankment project in Lakshmipur crawls forward; work stalled in several spots amid contractor absence
• Five of 16 contractors have pulled out; others lagging behind schedule with little visible progress
• Tk3,100cr project, launched in 2022, faces December 2025 deadline with only 20–30% work done
• Locals fear erosion and displacement as monsoon nears with flood protection incomplete

The ongoing project to construct a flood protection embankment along the Meghna River's east coast in Lakshmipur, spanning 31 kilomteres in Ramgati and Kamalnagar upazila, is progressing at a turtle's pace with work remaining stalled in some locations amid alleged absence of contractors.

Consequently, local establishments along the river, including plains, crop fields, and households, remain under erosion threat. Tensions run high among the local residents as the monsoon is already around the corner, exposing risks of erosion and subsequent displacement.  

According to locals, the project with a five-year term started in 2022 under the water resources ministry and is being implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) at a cost of approximately Tk3,100 crore.

Infographics: TBS

As per locals, five out of the total 16 contractors have abstained from the work, while 11 others are carrying out construction in their designated 62 slots, but at a slower speed. As such, the project has witnessed very little progress in the past three and a half years, with the scheduled deadline, December 2025, just six months away.

A recent visit to the site showed that only the dumping of geo-bags has become visible at most locations, while an average of 20-30% work has yet to be done in all portions. At some points, there is no sign of any work.

Given the situation, there is now no alternative other than extending the project term.

During the visit, an area spanning around 1,500 metres at the last-end of the project, located south of the Motirhat Bazar in Kamalnagar, was found hit by extreme river erosion.

Two local residents, Milon Bhandari and Kabir Hossain, told The Business Standard they have observed no project work here in the past four years.

Officials at BWDB Lakshmipur office said tenders have been floated afresh in two packages in April this year for construction in this portion in four slots.

Visiting the site at Nuria-Hajirhat area of Ramgati upazila, only some geo-bags were found lying randomly over a 600-metre area.

A local youth, Md Arif Hossain, said the contractor responsible for the part, Biswas Builders, dumped the geo-bags in 2022, and since there has been no further work. 

"No official of the company has come here again," he said.

Arif expresses fear that their home yard is likely to be devoured by the Meghna this monsoon.

The contractors remaining absent

On the condition of anonymity, three engineers of three contractor companies shared with TBS that work remains stalled on 35 lots of the total 97 slots of the projects at present. 

NSEL, Biswas Builders, Electro Group and Western Engineering are among the contractors that have postponed the work.

Project Manager of Western Engineering, Masud Rana told TBS that they are currently preparing to resume work after Eid-ul-Adha. 

He, however, could not clarify why the work remains stopped for a prolonged period.

Having said that they conduct the work intermittently, a worker of Biswas Builders, Md Murad said there are "reasons" for the interruptions.

Talking to TBS, advocate Abdus Sattar Palwan, a leader of the Meghna River Embankment Movement in Lakshimpur and convener of the local social platform, "Kamalngar-Ramgati Bachao Mancha", said the project did not have adequate funding from the beginning. 

"The five-year project was supposed to have an average allocation of over Tk600 crore per financial year. But, the government did not allocate accordingly." 

However, in the past four financial years, a total of Tk720 was allocated for the project, the ADP list of the Planning Commission and the water resources ministry suggest.

Rakib Hossain, a local resident, shared with TBS that within a few days of the project's start, work remained suspended at various portions for so long, citing "sand shortages", but some contractors said it was due to funding shortages.

Local residents, along with the leaders of the river dam movement, demanded assigning new contractors to the project by expelling those remaining absent from the work. 

In addition, they demanded immediate measures to ensure that the river banks are not hit by erosion during this monsoon.

Contacted, Executive Engineer Nahid-Uz-Zaman of BWDB Lakshmipur office, told TBS that they are currently working to abolish the contracts with the firms who have been accused of abandoning work, and to designate new contractors.

In addition, the process to extend the project's tenure is underway.