As the construction work of Chuadanga main post office is moving at a snail’s pace, the dilapidated building is still being used to carry out activities of the post office amid risk of accident.
Numerous cracks have developed in the old building and chunks of plasters often fall off the ceiling. Post office staff and general customers can become victims of accidents at any time.
Due to the negligence of the contractor, the construction work has not been completed even after a long time. A local contractor, Khustar Jamil, bought the work from the original contractor. But the work was not completed on time causing public inconvenience. Although the period of work has expired repeatedly, it has been strategically extended. However, two months have passed beyond the stipulated extension period, but the work still remains incomplete.
Sources in the Chuadanga Main Post Office said the country's first main post office was established in 1860 during the British period in Barabazar neighbourhood of Chuadanga municipal area. The building was built 163 years ago in thin brick and lime mortar. In 1984, Chuadanga main post office was fully operational on six bighas of land with 24 staff. The main post office is open for savings certificates, savings banks, letters, parcels, official letters, money orders, incoming and outgoing letters from home and abroad.
The government took the initiative to demolish the first post office building of the country built during the British period and build it anew instead of preserving it as a historical monument. A contractor company named Mahfuz Khan Limited of Nalchity Upazila in Jhalakathi district participated in the tender and got the job of constructing the main post office of Chuadanga. The cost of construction of post office is estimated at Tk 7.34 crore. Although Mahfuz Khan Limited is supposed to do the construction work of the office building, local contractor Khustar Jamil of Chuadanga is now doing the work.
The construction work of Chuadanga Post Office started in July 2020. The contractor, Khustar Jamil, started the work two months after the scheduled time. The construction work was supposed to be completed in June 2021, but it was not possible. Although the work period was extended several times, it was not possible to complete the work. The construction work was supposed to be completed by June 2024 at the latest, but it did not happen.
While the construction work was going on, contractor Khustar Jamil tried to increase the construction cost by using the DO letter issued by former lawmaker Solaiman Haque Joardar Chhelun. It had earlier stopped construction work citing cost escalation. Later, the project authority increased the cost of construction work by Tk 1.40 crore. The total construction cost of the project is Tk 8.74 crore. Even after this allocation, the construction work was not completed. The construction cost of the two-storied building is estimated to be very high, which is mysterious.
Although the construction work of post offices in other districts is completed with this project, the construction work of Chuadanga post office is not completed by any means. Due to the lack of construction of new buildings, the employees of the postal department are facing various problems. They have to risk their lives every day to work in the abandoned dilapidated building.
Authorities are facing problems in preserving important documents. Common people are turning away from this institution.
Riazul Islam, postmaster of Chuadanga main post office, said the post office construction work has been completed in other districts, but it has not yet been completed here. The building, built in 1970, is in operation. The roof of the building can collapse at any time. Construction of the new building is progressing at a very slow pace. It has become important to move to the new building quickly.
