Locals halt road construction in Barishal 

BARISHAL, Aug 4: Residents of Char Kalekhan Union in Muladi Upazila of Barishal on Sunday temporarily halted the construction of a rural road, alleging that the contractor was using substandard materials instead of steel reinforcement specified in the project's original design.

The incident took place around 11:00am on the Shologhar�"Byaparir Haat road, where dozens of local residents gathered and stopped workers from pouring concrete, claiming that the construction did not comply with the approved specifications.

According to locals, an earlier section of the same road had been built using steel reinforcing bars (rebar), but the contractor was now using a thin galvanised iron (GI) wire mesh in place of steel rods. They alleged that the change would significantly weaken the structure and reduce the road's lifespan.

Abul Hossain, a resident of Shologhar village, said the use of GI wire mesh instead of rebar would compromise the quality and durability of the road.

"If concrete is cast using this thin mesh, cracks will develop within a short time and local people will suffer. We have already informed the upazila administration. We will not allow any work that deviates from the approved design and schedule," he said.
Several other residents echoed the same concern, demanding that construction resume only after the authorities verify that the work complies with the approved technical specifications.

Contractor Md Salahuddin Mintu rejected the allegations, saying the work was being carried out in accordance with the government-approved estimate and the allocated budget.

"The local people misunderstood the construction process and stopped the work. Although construction has remained suspended, I still have to pay the workers," he said.

Contacted for comment, Muladi Upazila Engineer Md Ziaul Haque said officials had reviewed the complaint and examined the project's approved design and cost estimate.

He said GI wire mesh had been included in the estimate instead of steel reinforcing bars because of budget limitations.

"Although this is not the conventional method, it is consistent with the approved estimate. The local residents were unfamiliar with the construction technique and raised objections. After we explained the matter, the misunderstanding was resolved," he said.

The engineer added that work has not yet resumed due to rainfall, but construction is expected to continue once weather conditions improve.

The incident highlights growing public scrutiny of government-funded infrastructure projects, with local residents increasingly demanding greater transparency and adherence to approved construction standards.