Tk Crore-Worth Union Parishad Building in Kushtia Turns into Drug Users’ Den

The Ambaria Union Parishad complex in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia cost nearly Tk 1 crore to build. It has not opened in nine years. The then chairman said the building stands far from homes in a remote place and refused to take it over, citing security risks. Since then, the building made with public money has sat empty. As no office work runs there, drug users and idle youths now gather in it. Parts are being stolen for lack of care, and plaster is falling from the roof.

Local sources said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) finished the building in 2016 at a cost of Tk 97 lakh 27 thousand 138. The contractor, Basundhara Enterprise, completed the work. Amid controversy, the then chairman and Awami League leader Mr. Abdul Bari Tutul lost the election before the opening. The building has been lying empty ever since.

Locals said about 13 thousand people live in Ambaria Union. They allege that Mr. Abdul Bari Tutul skipped the crowded main area near the school, college, hospital and market. They say he used his influence and handled LGED officials to buy land in his own village, about three kilometres from the homes, and built the complex there. Locals also allege that personal and political influence mattered more than public interest in buying the land and building the complex.

The next elected chairman, Mr. Moshiur Rahman Milon, refused to take over the building. He cited serious irregularities in the construction and security risks. So the doors of the building have never been opened. The union parishad still runs its work from the old, worn out building.

People who need services said the old building nearby is easier for them than a new one three miles from the main area. Some locals, who did not want to be named, said drug users sit around the building after dark. As the night grows late, the area empties and feels frightening. The building has become a shelter for cattle and goats and a hangout for idle youths, and it is now a thorn in the government’s side.

Former chairman Mr. Moshiur Rahman Milon said there was a big racket over the land purchase at that time. He said money was collected from ordinary people and locals were cheated, and the building was taken to his own village to win votes. He said the design and structure had many faults, and he did not accept the building out of concern for public safety. He said it was the sensible choice to repair the old building for the people’s benefit.

Mr. Sohel Rana Liton, member of Ward 1 of Ambaria Union Parishad, said no chairman could run work there because of many difficulties around the site and a lack of security. Mr. Zahir Mehedi Hasan, a former engineer of the LGED in Mirpur upazila, claimed the building was built by the rules. He did admit that the area has a security problem. He could not give a good answer when asked why the building has stood unused for so many years, and why security and defects were not checked during construction.

Mr. Ahmed Mahbub ul Islam, deputy director of the Local Government Department in Kushtia, said the department will look into why the building worth Tk 1 crore is not in use and will then take action.