Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal came down heavily on the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) for deplorable condition of road networks, and warned the agency of reviewing its yearly fund allocation in future.
Similarly, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also expressed his discontent on the quality of highways across the country.
The ministers were speaking at a seminar of the RHD - "Lifetime of the highways: Challenges and way forward" - held at the NEC conference room in the city on Thursday. The RHD Secretary Md Nazrul Islam was in the chair.
The finance minister said: "We are allocating some Tk 250 billion funds for development of roads every year. But what type of service you (the RHD) are delivering to the people against the huge public investment?"
Narrating the condition of roads in the constituencies in Cumilla, he said: "I cannot open windows of my car when I visit my village home. Do you know people there scold the government due to the pathetic quality of roads?"
Mr Kamal also raised question about the construction of a huge number of roads every year, rather than proper maintenance of the existing ones.
"Please do not take up new road construction projects from now. First, complete the roads you have taken in hand. Then, allocate your earmarked money in the medium-term budgetary framework for maintenance work."
"If you go beyond your capacity, you will not be able to provide better services to people."
"We know everything, but we do not go by it . So, we have to change our mindset first," the minister added.
Raising question about the road construction design and method, he said: "I never notice that you (the RHD) are using hydro-metre or moisture-metre for assessing the state of water and moisture under the surface to build roads on ."
"You are blaming water, rain, over axel load, trees etc for damaging the roads. Which country in the world does not have rain, water, trees, and hills? But don't they build roads with 50 years' lifetime? Then why are you not being able to build quality roads in Bangladesh?"
He suggested punishment for the contractors, who will violate the terms and conditions applicable in building roads.
The minister also urged the road developer authority and engineers to be supportive of the government, saying, "Support the government, and the government will support you."
Meanwhile, Mr Nasrul Hamid gave a presentation on the deplorable condition of the roads and highways, and said there are serious problems in the design process before construction of roads.
"I have checked with the RHD engineers about a specific road design. They have informed me that they have a unique road design, which they apply for building all roads across the country. How is it possible?"
Presenting varies loopholes in design and construction of the Dhaka-Mawa Highway, he raised questions over monitoring of the RHD officials concerned in the project.
The state minister noted that a pillar was built inside a canal beside the Dhaka city, destroying its natural movement. Besides, the newly-built road does not even have any connection with the country's important inland container terminal - Pangaon.
Mr Hamid strongly criticised the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's (BRTA) role in allowing a large number of vehicles without fitness.
He also asked how can it allow so many private cars instead of large vehicles for transporting passengers on the roads?
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Road Transport and Bridge Akabbar Hossain MP said road network is the backbone for an economy. So, the roads and highways should have the best quality.
Transport expert Dr Shamsul Haque said over-axel load is a big problem in maintaining the roads in proper shape..
There are many laws in the country for protecting the roads, but their enforcement is very weak, he added.
He also expressed dissatisfaction over the responsible ministry's role in yielding to the pressure from transport owners and workers while enforcement of the laws and rules.
The RHD former chief engineer Ibne Alam Hasan said although the agency builds roads and highways by maintaining international standards, but over-axel load of the trucks is damaging these.
He suggested the government to allocate more funds for road maintenance purpose.
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