Struggle on to save Sirajganj town protection dyke
Thousands of locals lend hands as two teams of Bangladesh Army yesterday dumped sand bags, concrete blocks and other materials at the point of erosion to save the remaining portion of the town protection embankment.
Officials of the district administration and members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), police and local leaders also joined the work.
Sources said, at least 300 feet of the Sirajganj town protection embankment were devoured by the river Jamuna till yesterday afternoon. The erosion started on Monday evening near the previously damaged portion of the dyke.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aminul Islam told reporters that although the main point of erosion was identified on Monday evening the Water Development Board (WDB) authorities did not take necessary steps to prevent further damage of the dyke.
While visiting the spot yesterday morning he outrightly blamed WDB executive engineer Abdul Malek for his indifference to the situation.
Meanwhile, Abdul Malek fled the area in fear of public wrath, locals said.
Contacted, the WDB executive engineer denied the allegations against him and termed the views and remarks of the DC as 'unexpected and unfortunate'.
Later, two teams of Bangladesh Army 98 Composite Brigade led by Brigadier General Feroj Hasan (NDC) took up the task of repair work at the hard point.
In the afternoon, secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources Waheduzzaman and Director General of Water Development Board WDB Engineer Habibur Rahman visited the spot and assured the locals of taking necessary steps to stop further damage to the dyke.
On Monday at around 2:00pm, the villagers raised alarm as the bamboo poles used to protect the hard point in Kazipur Ghat began to surface.
Immediately after that a huge portion of the dyke collapsed into the river.
The embankment was built to protect Sirajganj town at a cost of Tk 375 crore. But it collapsed twice on July 10 and 17 last year.
Hyundai, a South Korean construction company began the construction work of the embankment in 1996 and handed it over to Water Development Board in 1999.
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