Allegations of selling soil in Ashulia pond excavation project worth crores

In Ashulia, Savar, there have been allegations of irregularities and selling soil in the government allocation worth crores of taka, centered on a controversial pond excavation and beautification project, which is currently under court proceedings. The incident has created intense anger among the locals and they have staged protests and human chains.

According to local sources, there has been a long-standing ownership dispute over about 81 percent of a land in Tajpur village of Yarpur union under Ashulia police station. Although the matter is pending in court, more than 95 lakh taka has been allocated in that area under the pond excavation and renovation project.

According to the complaint, the contractor company is illegally selling the pond soil after cutting it with an excavator. In addition, locals have claimed that the adjacent brick-laying road has been damaged due to the movement of heavy trucks.

Locals said that about half a kilometer of the road has been damaged due to the transportation of soil. Angry locals held a protest and human chain program after Friday prayers. Several complaints have already been filed with the police station regarding the matter, which have been registered as general diary.

A local resident alleged that the road built at the previous cost has been severely damaged due to heavy truck traffic, causing a loss of several lakhs of taka.

Attempts were made to contact the project contractor, but he could not be found. However, the concerned authorities said that the matter is being investigated.

The officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station said that based on the complaint, an SI has been assigned the responsibility of investigating and the matter is under investigation.

In this regard, the Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer said that permission was given to sell some of the land following the prescribed process as no local mosque or madrasa showed interest in accepting the land from the excavation project, but the allegations of irregularities are also being verified.