Let's start with why canals are excavated. Excavation project of a canal involves digging and removing soil and rock materials from the ground to create a trench or channel. The excavated soil is then used to form the embankments or sides of the canal. The purpose of this project is to create a waterway for transportation of goods, irrigation, and drainage.

Keeping this in mind, the Water Development Board started a project to excavate Nurpur canal in Brahmanbaria's Akhaura a year ago.

But rather than using the excavated soil to expand the canal's bank, the earth is being transported to different areas of the district by tractors, and being sold!

Locals have alleged that Awami League leaders are involved with this trade.

WDB started digging the 2.2km canal from Nurpur graveyard to Titas river under Dharkhar union of Akhaura at a cost of Tk 1,28,69,000.

According to a work order given on April 6 2022, Chattogram based contractor firm Yunus & Brothers Private Limited has won the tender to dig the canal. But they subcontracted the work to one Mustafizur Rahman, a Brahmanbaria-based contractor, and the work resumed recently, scheduled to be completed within June this year.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found many tractors parked in the project area. Rather than dumping the excavated soil on the canal's bank, it was being loaded in those trucks. The tractors were then seen carrying away the excavated earth elsewhere along the road, adjacent to the canal.

Selim Miah, a labourer engaged in the project, said the soil was being loaded into the trucks on instructions of Al leaders Aktar Hossain Bhuiyan and Rasel Mia.

Locals, seeking anonymity, also said a syndicate led by Dharkhar union unit AL president Aktar Hossain Bhuiyan, Jasim Mia, Musa Mia, Rasel Miah and Nurul Islam is involved in selling soil in collaboration with contractor Mostafizur Rahman.

Contacted, Aktar said, "We are using soil from the project for the village graveyard. I am not selling those."

When this correspondent told him that legally he cannot do that, Akhtar replied, "I'm doing this for the people of my locality."

The other members of the group refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Mostafizur denied his involvement with the syndicate. He said some of the earth from the project site was indeed used elsewhere as it could not be accommodated on the canal bank.

Contacted, WDB Executive Engineer (Brahmanbaria) Manjur Rahman said, "A show cause notice has been given to the contractor concerned over the matter. According to soil management policy, there is no scope of selling canal earth. The earth can only be used for development of khas land."

"The earth must be dumped on the canal's bank, If excess, it can be sold only through auction," he added.

Contacted, Md Shahgir Alam, deputy commissioner of Brahmanbaria, said he has heard about the incident. "I have asked WDB executive engineer and UNO to take action in this regard."