Nilphamari road project stalled for decade as new contractor fails to begin work

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Residents of Nilphamari are grappling with persistent transportation hurdles as a vital seven-kilometer road connecting Domar to Basuniyar Hat remains in a state of severe disrepair after more than a decade of neglect. Despite recent efforts by local authorities to initiate long-delayed renovations, bureaucratic setbacks and contractor inaction have left the route treacherous for commuters and local businesses alike.

The road serves as a crucial artery for the commercial hub of Basuniyar Hat, with frequent heavy-vehicle traffic significantly elevating transport costs for local traders. Current conditions are characterized by deep, mud-filled craters that pose daily risks to motorists and pedestrians. Local residents, including Nuru-zzaman Islam and Akkas Ali Pramanik, have expressed deep frustration, noting that the thoroughfare shifts from a mire of mud during the monsoon season to a hazardous expanse of dust during drier periods, with little relief provided by elected officials over the past ten years.

According to records from the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the project has been marred by repeated contract failures. An initial 22.73-crore taka project awarded in 2021 to a joint venture of Mozahar Enterprise and Unique Construction was abandoned by the contractors in October 2022. That agreement was ultimately terminated in July 2024, with the government imposing a three-crore taka fine on the firms for their failure to deliver.

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In an effort to restart the stalled infrastructure improvements, the LGED finalized a new contract with a firm identified as SB JV in June 2024 for a project valued at approximately 20.99 crore taka. While the formal work order mandated that construction commence by June 29, 2024, with a completion deadline of June 2027, the site remains untouched months later.

A representative for the contractor, A.H.M. Saifullah Rubel, cited pending site measurements as the cause for the delay, asserting that operations would begin shortly. LGED Executive Engineer Md. Shamim Akhter confirmed that the agency is monitoring the situation, stating that the contractors have provided assurances that they will mobilize equipment and begin the rehabilitation process in the near future.