A section of Hospital Road in Noakhali Municipality has begun deteriorating just a day after sealcoat work was completed, prompting allegations of poor workmanship and the use of substandard materials.
Residents said the sealcoat applied on July 3 peeled off the following day, raising questions over the quality of the renovation. The 1,050-metre road serves more than 100 government and private hospitals and clinics and is one of the municipality's busiest thoroughfares.
According to municipal records, the road has undergone repeated repairs since it was built in 2018. This fiscal year, Tk75 lakh was allocated to renovate about one kilometre of the road under three work packages. Bismillah Traders received a Tk23.7 lakh contract for a portion of the project.
Locals alleged that low-quality bitumen was used. "Government money is spent every year, but the road never lasts," said resident Rubel.
Bismillah Traders proprietor Md Hanif blamed the damage on rainfall, saying the work had been carried out by another party on his behalf. He said the defects would be repaired after the rainy season.
Municipality Executive Engineer Md Belal Ahmed Khan said a notice had been served on the contractor, directing it to fix the defects immediately. The contractor has assured the municipality that the damaged section will be repaired promptly.
