- May 02, 2026
PNN News Desk | Shariatpur:
A controversy has erupted in Shariatpur’s Damudya Upazila over the construction of a culvert. Allegations have surfaced that despite the absence of nearby houses or settlements, this culvert, built under a government project over a canal, was primarily constructed to provide access to the private pond of a former secretary’s driver.
Local sources reported that the culvert was constructed in the 2023–24 fiscal year at a cost of 3.12 million Taka on the Char Dhanakati Adasan Darbar Sharif road. The project was executed by a local contractor, Minhaj Traders. Initially, the culvert had no official government ID number, which was later assigned by the Upazila LGED.
The culvert has sparked outrage among local residents, who claim that government funds were misused to benefit a single influential individual rather than the public.
Local residents Swapan Dewan, Atik Mia, and Ramjan Ali said, “There are no houses where the bridge has been built, not even a road. Yet, nearby villages still rely on bamboo footbridges. This was not built for the public, but for a single person.”
Another resident, Nazir Majhi, added, “It is nothing but a waste of government money. The bridge is still unused—it just sits in front of a pond.”
Local resident Yamin Morol said, “There is only a pond on the other side of the bridge, no houses. Meanwhile, necessary infrastructure for the villagers is being ignored.”
Regarding the issue, Damudya Upazila Engineer Abu Nayeem Nabil said, “The proposal did not come from our Upazila office. The former secretary’s driver personally forwarded it to the ministry. Initially, we said it did not fall under the project, but later the head office approved it, so we had no choice but to carry out the work.”
On the other hand, Executive Engineer of Shariatpur District LGED, S. M. Rafeul Islam, said, “At that time, the project also included road development in the area. The culvert was constructed based on that plan. The allegation of building the bridge for personal benefit is not accurate.”
Locals argue that the bridge was constructed in front of a pond with no road access, raising questions about the transparency and accountability of government development projects.
