It has been more than two years since Ena Properties, a construction firm owned by Rajshahi 4 constituency lawmaker Engineer Enamul Haque, missed the deadline for constructing the 16-storey city centre on the land of old Rajshahi City Corporation building.
Construction was supposed to be completed by October 10, 2012, and the delay has also stalled renovation of Sonadighi, a well-known pond, promised by former mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton during the 2008 elections.
The renovation included construction of a mosque, a walkway, an amphitheatre and a library beside the pond, and Liton said both the projects would be implemented together.
Of the 16 floors, only eight have so far been constructed and that also has been partially completed.
City corporation officials said tender for constructing the city centre was invited in 2009 and Ena Properties won the deal as it was the only firm that submitted papers. The agreement was that Ena Properties would sell 75% of the shops and residential units, and the remaining 25% would go to the city corporation.
The project was approved at the general meeting of the city corporation on September 16, 2009, and Liton inaugurated the construction on October 10.
After that the contractor suspended the project for a few days and foundation work was later carried out for one and a half years upon resumption.
In July 2011, Enamul attempted to secure bank loans for the project and even tried to show the property under his ownership by submitting a petition to the city corporation in November. But it was turned down on the ground of being unlawful.
The firm later started the work again but the progress was slow, resulting in the delay.
However, Executive Director of the firm Mominul Islam said they missed the deadline as Rajshahi Development Authority did not approve the plan on time.
“Construction was estimated to be completed within five years since the time the plan would be approved. It has been two years since we got the approval and still there are three years to complete the project,” explained Mominul.
“Construction is progressing fast and we are now working on the ninth floor. The project, hopefully, will be completed by June next year,” he said.
He also said a number of commercial units would be handed over in March to those who had already paid the money.
Rajshahi City Corporation Chief Engineer Ashraful Haque said the deadline was extended till June next year in response to a petition filed by the contractor.