A union parishad (UP) member and her husband in Gopalpur upazila of Tangail have been accused of removing bricks from a government-funded rural road and using them to build a bathroom and toilet at their home.
The road was constructed under the Kabita rural infrastructure program during the 2024–25 fiscal year at a cost of about Tk 250,000. The 600-meter road connects the houses of Jasim Mia and Azmat Hossain in Paschim Nuthurchar village. UP member Ayesha Begum served as president of the project committee, while her husband, Tofazzal Hossain, worked as the contractor.
Locals allege that only two months after the project was completed, bricks were removed from the road in broad daylight and transported to the couple’s residence, where they were later used to construct a brick-built bathroom and toilet.
Residents say the road is vital for transporting crops from nearby farmland. With bricks removed and the rainy season underway, the road has reportedly become muddy and difficult to use, causing hardship for farmers.
Tofazzal Hossain denied wrongdoing, claiming the bricks used at his home were surplus materials left over from several road projects he completed that year.
Ayesha Begum also rejected the allegations, saying some bricks had been stolen by unidentified people at night and insisting the bathroom was not built using road materials.
After the allegations spread, the Gopalpur upazila administration inspected the site. Officials reportedly instructed the UP member to restore the road within three days at personal expense or face legal action.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Lailatul Hossain said the administration is aware of the matter and will take necessary steps.
