Construction of Hi-Tech Park uncertain in Khulna

OUR CORRESPONDENT
KHULNA, Oct 29: The construction work on Hi-Tech Park in the city has been suspended for nearly two months as the contracting firm of India has moved away after the fall of the Awami League-led government.
So, uncertainty looms large over the full implementation of the project though about 36 per cent of its total work has been completed.
The authorities concerned cannot say anything in detail when the construction work will resume.
While visiting the construction site of the Hi-Tech Park, this correspondent has found that there is no one there except 2-3 security guards and a couple of local officials.
Construction workers have moved away. None of the Indian contracting firms are there. The project work has stopped after the completion of the 3rd floor of the seven-storey building. Construction materials and equipment are scattered around.
The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority took the initiative to construct the facility on 3.59 acres of Dada Match Factory land in Labonchara area of Khulna city.
The project was approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on April 25 in 2017. The implementation period of the project is from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2024.
However, due to various complications, the project started very late and the foundation stone for its construction was laid in June 2022.
The project includes construction of steel structure seven-storey multi-tenant building and a cineplex building, construction of boundary wall, gate house and internal roads, internal drainage system and walkways, installation of tube wells and internal water supply and electro mechanical works. The cost of the project is estimated at Tk 1.7 billion (170 crore).
Larsen & Toubro, the Indian contracting firm, gets the work order and started work in November 2022.
Apart from the construction of up to three floors, no other work has started yet. The deadline for completion of the project was last June.
In this regard, President of Sacheton Nagoric Com-mittee (SANAK) Khulna, Advocate Kudrat-E-Khuda said if the project is implemented, the youth of Khulna will get skills in IT and entertainment opportunities will be created.
Advocate Babul Howla-dar, member secretary of Khulna Civic Society, said the people of Khulna have been agitating for construction of Hi-Tech Park for a long time. The project's work was slowed down and now it is completely stopped.
He said that the government should restart the work by providing security to the people of the contracting company. The government can change the contractor and start the work faster.
In this regard, project director Fazlul Haque said that the construction work was delayed due to land acquisition and the corona situation.
After the change of the government, the people of the contracting company have returned to India on security grounds, he said.
He said that the progress of the project work is 36 per cent. Proposals have been sent for extension of the project till June 2027. The project cost may increase slightly.
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