Two main roads adjacent to Bharani canal in Barguna municipal town became unusable only three months after the construction due to unplanned dredging and the absence of permanent guide wall on the side of the roads to prevent canal erosion.
The municipal authorities said that despite sending multiple letters to the Water Development Board to take permanent measures to prevent erosion, no step has been taken so far.
It was learnt that, illegal structures on both sides of the Bharani Canal, located in the heart of Barguna city, were evicted in 2019 following a court order. In 2021, the Water Development Board took the initiative to dredge the canal to maintain water flow. The dredging was completed in the 2020-21 fiscal year at a cost of Tk 2.8 crore.
Locals complained that during the dredging, the canal was dug deeper than necessary, solely for the purpose of selling the excavated soil, and no permanent measures were taken to protect the two banks. As a result, the roads along the banks had to be repaired multiple times, but within just a few months, they were damaged again, causing ongoing inconvenience for the public.
Shahid Oli, a businessman from the Bharani Canal area, said, since no permanent guide wall was built after the dredging, the newly constructed road is being damaged. The bamboo barrier being used to prevent erosion is temporary and gets destroyed during the rainy season. The road was repaired just three to four months ago, and now it is again broken and unusable.
Another businessman, Md Sirajul Islam, said, the trucks can’t access the warehouse on this road, and we are suffering daily losses. If no permanent solution is implemented, our difficulties will not end.
A permanent resident of the city, Shahabuddin, said, if the Water Development Board had dredged the canal properly, this issue of road damage would not have occurred. In particular, the road along the canal was repaired just three months ago, but it was damaged again, returning to the previous condition.
When asked about the issue, Mohammad Masum Billah, the Executive Engineer of Barguna municipality, said, the Water Development Board dredged the Bharani Canal recently. However, no measures were taken to protect the two banks of the canal, resulting in erosion and damage to the roads. We have sent several letters to the Water Development Board about this issue. Although they promised to solve the problem through a project, it has not yet been implemented. Protecting riverbanks and related projects are the responsibility of the Water Development Board. In response, Mohammad Rakib, the Executive Engineer of the Barguna Water Development Board, said, we will conduct a survey to assess the current condition of the Bharani Canal. Based on the advice of our experienced design team and in coordination with the municipality, we will take the necessary steps to prevent further erosion.
