Widespread irregularities and corruption have been alleged in the government’s Tk36 crore Rainwater Harvesting System project implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) in Barguna, depriving coastal residents of access to safe water.

The project, launched in July 2022 to address year-round shortages of clean water in several upazilas of the district, aimed to provide 3,000-litre rainwater tanks to 5,542 families across three upazilas. Each unit was allocated Tk45,000, with an additional Tk6,980 earmarked for catchment area construction.

However, investigations revealed that many beneficiaries did not receive essential materials, including tanks, pipelines, and filters. In several locations, low-quality bricks, sand, and cement were reportedly used for the platforms, raising doubts about the durability of the structures. A visit to Baliatoli union in Barguna Sadar upazila found that many tanks remained disconnected, forcing residents to continue using pond water. In several households, only the platforms were built, and most have already started crumbling due to substandard construction.

Locals alleged that they were forced to pay bribes ranging from Tk5,000 to Tk10,000 to be listed as project beneficiaries. They also claimed they had to transport the tanks home at their own expense, yet even after two years, the connections were never completed.

Hamida Begum, a resident of Baliatoli village, said, “I had to pay money to have my name included in the project. After that, they built only the platform. I still haven’t received the tank or any water connection.”

Another beneficiary, Arif Islam, said, “We paid Tk7,000 for registration. Two years have passed since they installed the platform and left. The structure is already breaking apart, and if the tank is filled with water, it overflows due to poor construction.”

Villager Dulal Molla echoed similar frustration: “We suffer from a severe water crisis, and the project was supposed to solve it. Instead, we’ve been harassed by the contractors for two years. No one from the Public Health Department has come to inspect the situation. The corrupt officials and contractors must be held accountable.”

Despite repeated attempts, contractor Kamal Hossain, owner of Messrs Kamal Enterprise, could not be reached for comment. When contacted, the office of Barguna DPHE Executive Engineer Md Raisul Islam informed that he was in Dhaka. Multiple phone calls to him later went unanswered.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Barguna unit President Monir Hossain Kamal said, “Crores of taka are being spent on so-called rainwater conservation projects, but people are not receiving any benefits. If such projects only breed corruption and negligence, it would be better not to implement them at all. A thorough investigation is needed, and those responsible must face justice.”