Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) foresees that people's sufferings will start to dissipate after June when the RTHD hopes to complete maintenance work of many of the roads and highways. 

 “When these project works end in June, there will be significant improvements in the condition of highways,” RTHD Secretary Nazrul Islam said at a press briefing yesterday.

Commenting on an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) report on misappropriation of public money through construction of substandard roads, he said they would take action against any RHD engineer or official if found involved in corruption.

By April, a notable progress will be visible in all the work that is being done, he hoped. “We are doing this keeping the upcoming Eid season on our mind.”

Nearly 40 percent of the maintenance works have already been completed, he said while briefing the media at the secretariat amid media reports regarding public sufferings due to poor road conditions across the country.

Nazrul said last year's flood and heavy rains washed away 4.9 kilometres of highways at 62 points and inundated 67.2 kilometres the highways at 75 points.

Road network in three hilly districts was snapped at 251 points due to landslides while 5,015 kilometres of highways were affected by the flood, he added.

Tk 1,704.48 crore have been allocated for maintenance of the roads this fiscal year while an additional Tk 1,166 crore was sought from the finance ministry for repairing the highways damaged by the flood and rain, he said.

Besides, Tk 13,070.94 crore was allocated to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) this fiscal year under the annual development programme, he added.

This fiscal year, RHD has taken up 186 repair work projects and 125 projects under the annual development program, he said, adding that 23 teams are monitoring the maintenance works.

Citing a report of the HDM (Highway Development and Management), he claimed that highways with portions of good to fair condition have been increasing over the last three years. In 2015, it was 56.93 percent while 62.65 in 2016 and 73.43 in 2017.

In response to a query regarding the reasons behind traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway that was expanded to four lanes, the secretary said various ongoing works -- installation of weigh scales and construction of railway over bridges in Comilla and the two-lane bridges on the Meghna and Gumti -- on the highway are causing the congestion.

WILL TAKE ACTION AGAINST CORRUPT OFFICIALS

Responding to a query regarding the ACC report on corruption during road construction work, Nazrul said, “I received the report yesterday. The report did not mention anyone's name specifically. However, the report has logic and I am not denying it.”

The report alleged that some RHD officials in collusion with influential individuals and contractors are involved in violation of terms of tenders.

Listing different stages when corruption takes place during road construction, the anti-graft watchdog recently made 21 recommendations in a letter sent to the secretary of the cabinet division.

Nazrul, however, refuted allegations that contractors with political affiliations are awarded contracts. Requesting journalists to provide specific information about the allegation, he said, “I took office [as the secretary] in October last year, but no one came to me for lobbying.”

Ebne Alam Hasan, chief engineer of RHD, also rebutted the allegations, saying that the RHD works are awarded through transparent biddings. 

Asked whether they will black list China Harbour Engineering Company Limited for offering bribes to an RTHD official for the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway expansion work, Nazrul said, “We didn't sign any business contact with China Harbour. We were at the negotiation stage [when they offered bribe]. So, there's no scope of black-listing it.”