The largest road network in the country is the Department of Local Government Engineering (LGED). The amount of paved roads of the company in three categories of upazila, union and rural roads is one lakh 17 thousand kilometers. LGED has identified 53 percent of these roads as bad.
Top officials of the company are blaming low quality bitumen for this situation. However, lawmakers say low-quality bitumen is not the only culprit. The contractor's work is not being properly supervised during road construction. They say that it is better to make rural roads concrete.
Experts have also identified some of the causes of the dilapidated condition of LGED roads. These include floods, substandard work and construction materials, irregularities, corruption, incompetent contractors, lack of maintenance, design flaws and inadequate allocations.
Helaluddin Ahmed, senior secretary of the local government department, said the total number of roads under the local government engineering department is one lakh 17 thousand 419 kilometers. Under LGED, 63,244.7 km of access roads for light vehicles (type 'B', length less than 2 km) are used.
In the 2016-17 financial year, 49 percent of the roads in LGED's network were in good and viable condition. The amount of this road has decreased by two percent in one year and stands at 48 percent. The remaining 53 percent of the roads are bad. In other words, about 62,000 kilometers of the company's roads are in bad or dilapidated condition. Of these, 2,300 km of roads have been renewed in the last one year.
Roads built by LGED are relatively low. Due to this, the roads of the company are damaged more in the floods. Last year's floods damaged about 16,000 km of paved roads of LGED. Most of these roads have not been repaired yet.
LGED has its own design standards for road construction. The design standard was set by LGED in 2005 by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). By standard, the lifespan of a road built by LGED is 10 years. The load carrying capacity of the road is eight point two tons per vehicle. The Department of Roads and Highways (RHD) also built roads and highways capable of carrying the same load.
LGED's road standards were discussed in detail at a parliamentary committee meeting in October last year. It was decided at the meeting that LGED should arrange for the import of quality bitumen as per the requirement of the road in consultation with the Roads and Highways Department in road repair or construction; In order to create a standard road, it is necessary to determine which is the access road and which is the road for vehicular traffic.
At the fourth meeting of the committee held in November, Helaluddin Ahmed, secretary of the local government department, said that 70 to 80 grade bitumen is usually used to repair or build these roads. The NBR will be informed to ensure the supply of this quality bitumen throughout the year as per the demand. Petroleum Corporation has also been given demand letter.
During the meeting, committee chairman Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain wanted to know, 'The road is getting damaged in a very short time after construction / repair. Why ruin? How many grades of bitumen is the Saudis using? ' At this time, he wanted to know the difference between the price of bitumen of 60-70 grade and 60-100 grade.
Khalilur Rahman, chief engineer of LGED, said the road was getting damaged in a short time due to construction defects. Initiatives have been taken to use 60 to 70 grade bitumen in all high load roads. Other roads use 80 to 100 grade bitumen. Roads and highways department uses bitumen of 60 to 70 grade and 60 to 100 grade of bitumen in rural roads. 60 to 70 grade bitumen is also used at the upazila level. The price difference between bitumen of both grades is about two thousand rupees per ton.
LGRD Minister Tajul Islam said which bitumen is applicable for the road should be decided in an inter-ministerial meeting with BUET engineers and all concerned. Letter to NBR to ensure import of quality bitumen. It is necessary to issue a circular from Bangladesh Bank to prevent low quality bitumen from entering the country. Engineers need to monitor whether substandard bitumen is being used. He said that whether the thickness of the road is correct, whether the right amount of bitumen is being used, whether the work is being done as per the design, all the supervision needs to be strengthened.
LGRD State Minister Swap