Allegations of massive irregularities have surfaced in the ongoing billion-dollar project by the Water Development Board aimed at protecting the Tajumuddin and Lalmohan upazilas of Bhola from Meghna River erosion and tidal surges. Locals fear that due to these irregularities, the project’s funds may essentially be wasted.

According to local residents, contractors are violating regulations by extracting sand directly from the riverbank using dredgers and filling geo-bags with the same sand before dumping them nearby. This practice is putting the embankment and riverbank protection project at greater risk.

A field visit revealed that in the Katakhali sluice gate area of Tajumuddin, around 10-12 dredgers are continuously extracting sand from just 100 meters away. The extracted sand is then packed into geo-bags and dumped close by, increasing the risk of further erosion. Similar practices are observed in areas like Sonapur, Chandpur sluice gate, Syedabad, and Fatemabad, where over 50 dredgers are operating directly at the riverbanks. This not only reduces the effectiveness of the geo-bags but also raises concerns about the integrity of the embankment protection work.

Residents, including Abdur Rahim, Rafiqul Islam, Solaiman, Hiron, Shakil, and Mehedi Hasan, claim that contractors, driven by profit motives, are essentially wasting government funds in the Meghna River.

Former president of Tajumuddin Upazila BNP, Haji Mostafizur Rahman, warned that extracting sand from the riverbank would cause the new embankment to collapse. He further alleged that, instead of sand, soil is being used in the geo-bags, and despite lodging complaints with the Water Development Board, no action has been taken.

While representatives from the contracting firms declined to comment, several laborers admitted that they were instructed to extract sand directly from the riverbanks.

Supervising Engineer of the Water Development Board, Muhammad Hasanuzzaman, acknowledged that such sand extraction is risky for the project. He stated that a directive had been issued to extract sand from at least one kilometer away and assured that stricter monitoring would be enforced to curb irregularities.

Initiated in 2023, the Tk 1,100 crore (approximately $100 million) project was originally scheduled for completion by June 2025. However, with only 48% of the work completed so far, authorities have proposed extending the deadline to June 2026.