Debidwar, June 26 (V7N) – Hasanat Abdullah, Chief Organizer (Southern Region) of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has strongly criticized the prevailing culture of impunity and excuse-making among government officials. While uncovering irregularities in a Tk 24.3 million road development project in Debidwar, Comilla, he accused contractors and public engineers of gross negligence, warning that misuse of public funds will no longer be tolerated.
 
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday evening around 7 PM at the Comilla-Sylhet regional highway site, Abdullah said, “Government officials are now trained in giving excuses. They’re always ready with one—no matter the situation. This kind of behavior towards the public is unacceptable.”
 
Referring to a broader lack of accountability in governance, he added, “In the past, Tk 30 lakh would be siphoned off from every Tk 1 crore project, and there was no accountability. Over the last 20 years, such a culture of impunity has become entrenched. But the idea that no one will be held accountable anymore is a mistake. Since I don’t take commissions, I’m not indebted to any contractor. I don’t work with personal contractors. That’s why I will ensure that every penny of government funds allocated to this project is properly used.”
 
The road project in question involved widening a segment of the Comilla-Sylhet highway and installing road dividers in Debidwar to ease traffic congestion. The work was awarded to Messrs. Bhuiya Enterprise, with an allocation of Tk 24.3 million secured through Hasanat Abdullah’s initiative. However, allegations of substandard construction prompted Abdullah to conduct a surprise on-site inspection, where he confirmed major irregularities.
 
“The work was supposed to include a 6-inch concrete foundation before installing the dividers. That was skipped entirely. Instead, the dividers were placed directly on the bitumen layer. A small impact could easily dislodge them,” he stated. “Blocks were to be installed, but they weren’t. Where the gap between two roads should be 300 mm, they’ve left 400 mm. Where 100 rods were needed, only 70 were used. This level of negligence is unacceptable.”
 
Abdullah further stated, “This is like a qazi’s cow—mentioned in records, but missing from the barn.” He emphasized that responsibility for this corruption lies with the contractor, the engineer, and all relevant government officials overseeing the project.
 
He added that this is not an isolated incident. “Just yesterday, I halted another road project due to irregularities. The contractor was present and was told to sit with the engineer and finalize the issue. I will not allow the people of Debidwar to suffer.”
 
Directly addressing the contractor, Ashiqur Rahman Bhuiya of Messrs. Bhuiya Enterprise, Abdullah said, “This money doesn’t belong to me or your father—it’s the people’s money. Why should it be wasted? Public funds must not be misused. Thousands of people use this road every day and suffer as a result. Even if the project needed an extra Tk 5 million, that would’ve been justifiable. Why did you compromise? You’ll face consequences. Had you acted with honest intent, this wouldn’t have happened.”
 
Highlighting the road’s importance, Abdullah noted that Debidwar has nearly 40 hospitals, with an average of 15 deliveries taking place daily, underscoring the need for safe and efficient infrastructure.
 
In response, contractor Ashiqur Rahman Bhuiya claimed, “I followed the work order exactly as received. In hindsight, it appears the work may have caused more harm than good. Nevertheless, I will do whatever I can to rectify the situation, even if it means covering some of the cost myself.”
 
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