Desk report,
Rajshahi City Corporation announces suspension of contractor’s development work after not receiving bill
Some contractors have alleged that Rajshahi City Corporation Secretary Rumana Afroz has been withholding 250 bill files for almost two and a half months. They have announced to stop all development works on this allegation. They made this announcement at a press conference in Sapura area on Rajshahi-Naogaon highway at around 11:30 am today, Wednesday.
Rajshahi City Corporation announces suspension of contractor’s development work after not receiving bill
The contractors claim that about 15 contractors have about 100 crore taka stuck in these development works. They are not able to pay the wages of the workers because they are not getting the money due. In this situation, there is no option but to stop the work. At the gathering, a contractor named Rezaul Karim said, ‘We had held a press conference on July 20 and requested to release the bills. Even then, the authorities did not take any action. They did not even feel the need to discuss with us. As a result, we have to stop the work now.’
Contractor Salahuddin Gazi said that a rally will be held in front of the Nagar Bhaban with workers and Sardars next Sunday, ‘Several road works are underway in the city, including four flyovers and six raw markets. We work with bills every month. But the new administration is not releasing any bills. In this situation, workers are coming to our houses for money. We are not able to leave our houses. So there is no choice but to stop work.’
Another contractor Shakilur Rahman said, ‘The City Corporation is treating us as worthless. A peon has a price, we do not. When we go to the secretary, the contractor is not allowed. This cannot happen. After investing money, the contractors have their backs against the wall without receiving the bill.’
After the meeting, Russell Islam, a representative of a contracting company, announced that the construction work of the flyover in the area would be stopped. Along with this, other contractors also announced that they would stop all their work.
Secretary Rumana Afroz did not agree to talk on the phone about the matter. However, denying the allegations of withholding bills, Chief Executive Officer Rezaul Karim said, ‘I do not know where the 250 files of the contractors are stuck. If the bills were stuck, they would have informed us. No one told me anything.
