Heavy vehicles, including freight trucks, are being allowed on Teesta barrage despite a ban on such transports imposed in 2014.
The ban was imposed in November of that year after the barrage developed some cracks because of the movement of heavy vehicles.
But new and bigger cracks have recently appeared on the barrage as some dishonest police officials and Ansar members allowed heavy transports on it after evening in exchange for bribes.
Officials in charge of maintenance of the barrage described the new cracks as hairline cracks.
The barrage includes 52 sluice gates and fresh cracks have appeared on the structure near eight of the gates.
Locals said law enforcement officials collect Tk300-500 in bribes from each truck and let those pass.
This correspondent found that what locals said was true. The main gate of the barrage is always kept closed but on Thursday evening, on-duty policemen and Ansar members opened it after taking money from a number of trucks carrying cattle and brick.
Khairul Islam, one of the police officials who collected bribes, strenuously denied any wrongdoing when asked about taking bribes. He is a constable at Doani Teesta barrage police outpost.
Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman Mizan, in-charge of the outpost, also said police do not collect bribes from trucks.
Hafizul Haque, assistant engineer of Dalia Water Development Board’s management and maintenance department, said any law enforcer, if found guilty of taking bribes from heavy vehicles to pass the barrage, would face action.
He said initiatives had been taken to invite tenders for repair work of the existing cracks and other problems of the barrage.
Mahbubur Rahman, executive engineer of Rangpur Water Development Board who has been given additional duty of Dalia Water Development Board, said the cracks were not a cause for concern.
“The cracks can be repaired and we will do that,” he said.
He also said he would look into the allegations of law enforcers taking bribes.