LGED Employee Beaten by Mob in Panchagarh Over Alleged Irregularities in Road Construction

In Panchagarh’s Boda Upazila, a Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) assistant, Jahidul Islam, was subjected to a mob beating for allegedly denying irregularities in a road construction project. The incident took place on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at noon in the Gaighata area of Moydandighi Union.

According to local sources, the construction of a roughly one-kilometer-long road in Gaighata was underway. Dissatisfaction arose among locals due to the poor quality of work. On Saturday, an agitated crowd halted the construction, prompting Jahidul Islam, an LGED work assistant, to visit the site. When he denied any irregularities, the enraged mob attacked him. Jahidul managed to escape by taking refuge in a nearby paddy field.

Local Union Parishad member Belal Hossain stated that the roadwork had been ongoing for a long time. While another nearby road project was completed, this one repeatedly faced interruptions due to irregularities. He personally inspected the site after complaints and confirmed the substandard quality, leading him to stop the work with the help of locals. Local resident Yusuf Ali reported that the road’s carpeting was peeling off with minimal use, and workers were attempting to fix it with hammers. Another resident, Masud Rana, claimed that carpeting was being laid directly on mud and dust. When he protested, he was threatened. A worker from the contracting firm, Abul Kalam, admitted to irregularities, stating that carpeting was done despite sand accumulation due to rain, and the failure to clean debris caused the carpeting to lift. Jahidul Islam, the accused LGED assistant, explained that he was instructed by his office to inspect the site. Upon arrival, he found that locals had stopped the work. When he told journalists there were no irregularities, the crowd became furious and attacked him, forcing him to flee. He added that a bituminous prime coat was applied ten days earlier, but rain caused sand to accumulate, and carpeting was done without proper cleaning, leading to the issue. Mizanur Islam, a representative of the contracting firm MR Traders, said the project was from the 2020-21 fiscal year, and as a subcontractor, he could not recall specific details. Panchagarh Executive Engineer Mahmud Zaman confirmed receiving complaints about the roadwork irregularities and noted that locals had halted the project. However, he said he was unaware of any mob attack on an LGED employee.