Same Road Inaugurated Twice on Same Day in Chapainawabganj Sparks Exchange, LGED Says No Formal Inauguration Took Place

In Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila, the same road was inaugurated twice on the same day. In the morning, sitting MP and Jamaat leader Nurul Islam Bulbul inaugurated it, and in the afternoon the current district council administrator and former MP, BNP leader Harunur Rashid, inaugurated it again.

The two inaugurations of the same road have led to an exchange of statements and criticism between the two leaders. Local residents allege that the inauguration and counter-inauguration resulted from political rivalry.

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), however, has said that the road has not yet been formally inaugurated.

The road is being built from Bakher Ali BOP Camp to Faridpur BOP Camp in the border area of Charbagdanga Union in Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila. The 3-kilometre 550-metre road is being built at an estimated cost of Tk 3 crore 94 lakh 40 thousand 531.

Once opened, the road, built under LGED supervision, will make BGB patrols and surveillance along the border easier, as well as travel for people in the Padma riverbank area.

According to LGED sources, construction of the road began about two weeks ago. On Saturday morning (1 November), Nurul Islam Bulbul, MP for Chapainawabganj Sadar-3 and amir of Dhaka South Metropolitan Jamaat, inaugurated the construction work.

That same afternoon, former MP, adviser to the BNP chairperson and district council administrator Harunur Rashid went there again and inaugurated it a second time. He inaugurated the road by cutting a ribbon.

Criticism of each other featured at the two leaders' separate inauguration events. Bulbul's morning event had a banner bearing LGED's name, while Harunur Rashid's afternoon event did not. LGED officials and the construction contractor, however, were present at both events.

At an exchange meeting after the inauguration, MP Nurul Islam Bulbul said he had no objection to working with former MP Harunur Rashid for the district's development. However, an MP also has the responsibility of supervising government development work. The development work that will take place in the Sadar constituency over the next five years is his responsibility, he said.

Noting that the people elected him by a margin of 62,619 votes, Bulbul said the people had not given anyone the authority for someone else to inaugurate his work.

Asked about the reason for inaugurating the same road a second time, Harunur Rashid said he had brought the allocation and the project for the road. As a former MP and district council administrator, he had the right to inspect or inaugurate the project. He also suggested asking MP Bulbul about the matter.

At a discussion meeting after the inauguration, Harunur Rashid called on the new MP to bring allocations to build more roads. He also claimed the road was part of his election pledge and that he had cooperated in implementing the project. He also made critical remarks aimed at the MP at the time.

On attending both events, contractor Selim Reza said that when representatives from various levels of government go to inspect or supervise a project, his presence as contractor is necessary. That is why he was at both events of the current and former MPs.

LGED, however, gave a different account of the two inaugurations. Md. Azharul Islam, LGED engineer for Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila, said the department had not formally inaugurated the road. If there had been a formal inauguration, a plaque would have been installed there. Both the current and former MPs had essentially gone to supervise the project. When representatives from various levels of government go on inspection, LGED officials are present there. The project's term is due to end in December this year.