Floodwaters have entered the new houses constructed under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Ashrayan project in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur, with residents and local representatives raising concerns about the quality of construction.
Under this project, a total of 16 new houses have been constructed in low-lying areas, ignoring the objections of local representatives.
Local residents who have been allocated houses under this project said that kitchens, walkways, tube wells and bathrooms had been submerged in the floodwaters. If it rains for a few more days, the situation will further deteriorate.
From the very beginning, the local representatives objected to the construction of houses in the low-lying areas of Suryak Charpara village under Rupapat union of the upazila.
Nazmul Hossain Nazim, a member of the Union Parishad (UP), said: "When the construction started, I told persons concerned about the risks in constructing houses in low-lying areas. Now everything has gone under knee-deep water. If it continues to rain, water may rise to the waist level or above.”
Azizar Rahman Mollah, chairman of Rupapat UP, said: "The present situation could have been avoided if more soil and sand were dumped before the beginning of the construction work.”
Boalmari Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Maria Haque said: “The construction work was done during the dry season and a lot of sand was dumped. Necessary steps will be taken for making those houses liveable soon.”
Boalmari UNO Md Hasib Sarkar said the authorities would talk to the beneficiaries, visit the spot and try to resolve the problem.
Jhotan Chandra was in charge of the project as the UNO at the time of the construction of the houses. He could not be reached despite several calls made to his mobile phone.
