SYLHET, Sept 21: The regional office of Haor O Jolabhumi Unnayan Board, set up in the Sholaghar area of Sunamganj district town, has only three staff members including an office assistant, a work assistant and a guard.
They have no job other than passing time and "taking care" of the office.
One of them said, "We have no work here other than attending meetings at the DC's office or accompanying the officials from the capital who visit the district."
Another office of same pattern was set up at the Kishoreganj district town while the head office is at Green Road of the capital.
Sources informed only due to delay in the appointment of staff members, most of the projects could not even be initiated as yet.
Haor Krishi O Krishak Raksha Sangram Parishad District Secretary Chitta Ranjan Talukder said the directorate had failed doing anything in the last three years.
An official at the Bangladesh Haor O Jolabhumi Unnayan Board said the board was formed in 2016 renaming the then Haor Unnayan Board. Its manpower structure has been approved with 118 people, he said. Of them, 15 would work in Sunamganj office.
Presently five are working in Dhaka on deputation while approval of the manpower staff is under process. Other jobs would be done after its approval.
Bonni Boro Unnayan Prokolpo, Central Western Wetland Management and Livelihood Improvement Project, Kishoreganj district's River Protection Project, Pre-Monsoon Flood and Food Protection Project for Kishoreganj district, protecting villages from flood waves, feasibility study for dredging haors and beels for raising surface water and its protection in Netrokona, Kishoreganj, and Brahmanbaria districts, ensuring water and sanitation in rural areas, river dredging and land development, collection of data on water bodies in offshore are on the 'to do list' of the board. But most of these did not make even minimum progress mainly due to absence of manpower. But they failed doing anything in the last three years.
Tahirpur upazila chairman Karuna Shindhu Chowdhury said the board should start their activities for the haor region.
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