Tk 2.1 cr down the drain
Bogra LGED ignores lowest bidders in 4 projects
Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Bogra incurred Tk two crore 10 lakh additional expenditure in four road development projects, completed recently, due to alleged corruption by a section of officials in league with contractors.The works were given to contractors allegedly belonging to the ruling party by avoiding lowest bidders and defying a verbal instruction from BNP Senior Joint Secretary Tarak Rahman not to do so, sources said. The projects were financed by the World Bank (WB). LGED officials concerned admitted the fact, but claimed that WB guidelines were not violated in implementation of the projects. The projects were construction of 5.3 km road from Birgram to Majhira, 13.1 km road from Dupchanchia to Namuja, 12.97 km road from Shariakandi to Chandanbaisa and 4.7 km road development work from Sultanganj to Perirhat including construction of five culverts. LGED sources said a construction firm was given the work order to build the Sultangonj-Perirhat road at a cost of Tk 2 crore 40, which was Tk 36 lakh more than the cost quoted by the lowest bidder. The Birgram-Kharna road was completed at a cost of Tk one crore 87 lakh while the lowest bidder had quoted an expenditure of Tk one crore 75 lakh. An additional expenditure of Tk one crore 10 lakh was incurred for construction of the Dupchanchia-Namuza road. It was completed at Tk 5 crore 43 lakh against the lowest bid of Tk 4 crore 34 lakh. The Shariakandi-Chand-anbaisa road cost Tk 6 crore 19 lakh against Tk 5 crore 65 lakh quoted by the lowest bidder, the sources said.
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