Fazle Rabbi Anthony, Kurigram
The repair work on the nearly 8.85-kilometer road from the Bhurungamari bus terminal to Dhaldanga market in Kurigram’s Bhurungamari upazila is nearing successful completion.
Recently, a rumor spread regarding the carpeting of a small section of the road coming off, but startling information has since emerged behind this incident.
Reportedly, a personal conflict between a subcontractor involved in the ongoing work and another individual led to the issue. As a result of the dispute, the accused person allegedly struck the freshly carpeted road with a crowbar in front of his home.
Later, some local youths removed the carpeting by hand and posted a video of it on social media, which sparked significant uproar. In response, a formal complaint was lodged at Bhurungamari Police Station accusing the individual of damaging government infrastructure.
Reliable sources confirm that the road repair project, funded by the Asian Development Project (ADP), began on January 1, 2024. The project covers a stretch of 8.85 kilometers in length and 18 feet in width, running from Bhurungamari Bus Terminal to Dhaldanga Bazar. It is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2025.
The Rural Connectivity Improvement Project (RCIP), under the supervision of the Bhurungamari Upazila office of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), is overseeing the project. The estimated cost of the project was BDT 20,09,30,808, with the contract signed for BDT 17,77,55,228.
A later revised contract set the amount at BDT 17,71,37,063. Out of the total 8.85 kilometers, 2,385 meters are being constructed with RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete), while the remainder is to be carpeted. Considering the monsoon season, the pace of work was increased, and the road is expected to be completed a month ahead of schedule.
On-site observations reveal that RCC work from the bus terminal through Jamtala to the hospital intersection and in the Paglahat area has already been completed. The carpeting is progressing swiftly. It was further observed that the damage in Dhaldanga occurred only in a small section—30 feet long and 18 feet wide.
Investigations revealed that on May 4, 2025 just one day after the carpeting, construction worker Belal Hossain deliberately struck the road with a crowbar due to prior disputes. He then spread propaganda claiming the road was poorly constructed. This prompted a visit by the Executive Engineer of the Kurigram LGED office and other experts on May 6, 2025.
Their inspections concluded that the work had been done according to the approved estimates, and no irregularities were found. In the meantime, project manager Md. Fakhrul Islam filed a complaint with Bhurungamari Police Station accusing the responsible individual of obstructing government work.
Sub-contractor Belal Hossain challenged the claims, stating that any engineer in the country is welcome to inspect the road. He insisted that there was no defect or irregularity and claimed that only 30 feet of carpeting was deliberately removed due to personal vendetta. He demanded justice for the incident.
Bhurungamari Upazila Engineer Md. Insaful Haque Sarkar stated that the carpeting was made using asphalt from a standard plant, leaving no scope for subpar work. He emphasized that the damage appears to have been intentional and due to previous hostilities.
Bhurungamari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Golam Ferdous said that if the subcontractor’s claims are found true, criminal action will be taken against the culprits under applicable law.
LGED Executive Engineer in Kurigram, Md. Masuduzzaman, confirmed after a site visit that no defects were found. He said that the removed carpeting was solid and intact, and if it had been of poor quality, it wouldn’t have held together. He concluded the act appeared to be a deliberate sabotage, which constitutes a criminal offense.