The ministry formed a three-member committee headed by Additional Secretary Sayed Muhammad Zubayer on May 16 to probe the irregularities, allegedly done in league with some contractors aligned with ruling BNP.

Other members of the probe committee are Deputy Secretary (development-2) Abdul Halim and Senior Head Assistant-2 Moinul Islam Titas in the ministry.

The committee was asked to submit its report within one month, fixing responsibilities and suggesting punishment for the wrongdoers.

But the probe is yet to start as some BNP bigwigs are lobbying for 'their' contractors to stop the investigation, sources said.

The project works are now stopped following a High Court injunction after filing of a writ petition by some contractors who had earlier won the works through bidding.

Early last year, Rajshahi Water Development Board (WDB) had floated tender for the two-kilometre Rajabari-Baliaghata dam construction project along the Padma, involving Tk 16 crore. A total of 537 contractors had submitted bids for the works in eight groups. Eight contractors won the works and WDB authorities issued work orders.

This enraged some contractors favoured allegedly by local BNP leaders. They beat up several officials and damaged offices of the Chief Engineer, Superintendent Engineer and Executive Engineer.

They also threatened the CE and the SE to award them the project works or to leave Rajshahi.

WDB's security department in a letter to Rajshahi Metropolitan Police sought security of its officials after the CE lodged a complaint in mid-April.

In the meantime, top WDB officials cancelled the work orders given earlier to the eight selected contractors and awarded the works to eight other contractors, raising the involvement to Tk 18 crore from Tk 16 crore suggested in the project plan. Two of the contractors given the jobs had no experience in such work, it was also alleged.

The officials also awarded the new contractors more three groups of work involving Tk 7 crore in the same project without any tender, it was alleged.

But interestingly, the project plan was disapproved by the ministry as the design was changed twice.

The original project plan suggested that the work be done using only concrete blocks. It was later changed suggesting use of 'geo textile' and concrete blocks in equal proportion. Again, it was changed suggesting use of only concrete blocks.