A link road to Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge, commonly known as Jamuna bridge, is at risk as a vested interested group, in the name of a cooperative society, has been lifting sand without taking permission from authorities concerned, from three ponds adjacent to the road which will ultimately take a toll on the bridge.
Local sources said a cooperative society belonging to landless people took lease of the ponds owned by Bangladesh Bridge Authority for fish farming a month back.
Sources at the cooperative society claimed that they had been lifting sand from the ponds to increase depth.
Although the cooperative society when took lease of these ponds promised to increase only three feet depth of the ponds, they are now trying to increase the depth by 12 feet.
The society was selling sand after randomly extracting those from the ponds, locals said, adding that if the situation is continued, a portion of the road will collapse in the coming rainy season.
But unfortunately, the local police station, authority to look after Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge, office of upazila nirbahi officer, and the Saidabad land office all keep mum over the issue.
During a visit to the spot yesterday this correspondent found that three dredger machines have been set up in the pond to lift sand.
When contacted, General Secretary of the Society Abdur Razzak told the Dhaka Tribune that they had taken lease of the ponds for three years from bridge authority.
“According to a deal we have permission to lift sand,” he said.
Chairman of Saidabad union parishad Saptik Ahmed Mithu said the UP office did have jurisdiction on the property of bridge authority. It was the matter of land office or upazila nirbahi office.
Assistant Revenue Administrative Officer of land office Anwar Hossain said no one had submitted complaint against the sand lifting to them.
“If we receive complaint, we will look into the matter,” he said.
Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of bridge (western) out post, said no body from bridge authority complained against the sand lifting.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Salauddin said they would look into the matter.
Engineer of Chinese contract firm Meteorological constriction Company entrusted with look after the bridge they would inform the bridge authority about the matter.
Executive Engineer of bridge authority Abul Kalam Azad said the cooperative society lifting sand from the pond without consulting with them.
He said, “We would look into the matter and take action against the cooperative society.”
