The mega project to dredge the Garai River in Kushtia seems to be heading towards an utter failure for mismanagement.
Unplanned dredging of the river and unabated sand lifting from it have created apprehension about the failure of the scheme letting its investment of Tk475 crore go to waste without coming to the actual benefit.
After lifting the sand from the river, the workers put it along the riverside, which being washed away by rain and strong current again falls into the river, creating piles of slit in the riverbed.
Specialists think that the sand piles may interrupt the river flow in the dry season.
The dredging work in the Garai was started in 1996 during the tenure of the then Awami League government to restore navigability of the river, involving Tk4.2bn.
But due to lack of proper management the work remained incomplete.
Later the second phase of the project work was started by the present Awami League-led 14-party alliance government in 2011 at a cost of Tk9.5bn.
Chinese company, Chaina Harbour, got the work order to do the dredging work in 30 kilometre area from Talbaria to Khoksha upazila of Kushtia.
TK1.3bn crore was spent in the fiscal 2010-11 for the project.
About 7.8m cubic meters of sand was lifted during the period.
Tk750m was shown as expenditure for the fiscal 2011-12 and about 5.4m cubic meters of sand was lifted while Tk170m shown as expenditure for 13 kilometre dredging work in the current fiscal
(2013-14).
According to the Water Development Board (WDB), a total of 1.6m lakhcubic meters of sand has been lifted in the three fiscal years, which cost an estimated Tk2.22bn.
An official concerned of the WDB said the total project expenditure, including that for purchase of two dredger machines, stands at Tk4.75bn.
Coming to know about the irregularities in the project work, Deputy Commissioner Sayed Belal Hossain visited the spot.
He also sent a letter in this regard to the senior secretary of the Water Resources Ministry on January 31 this year.
Some officials of the WDB said unplanned dredging work of the Garai has become a threat to the inhabitants of the Mangalbaria area in the town as a crack has developed in a groin dam
