Ill-planned drainage system puts college building at risk

The college will hold exams but has stopped classes
Munshiganj Haraganga Government College buildings developed severe cracks and tilted sideways on Monday afternoon due to an ill planned water bypass route for the construction of a district stadium.

Both the college and Munshiganj District Stadium are located in the Collegepara area of Munshiganj Sadar upazila.

The school buildings that were damaged are: a two storey academic building, a separate one-storey classroom, and a tin shed reserved for rover scouts at the college.

A water bypass route was dug just behind the main building of the college– part of the process for sand filling to build the stadium–without the permission of college authorities, said teachers of the college.

The work at the stadium required water on the surface. After supplying water to the stadium, the excess run-off water needed a bypass drainage system.

Munshiganj Fire Service Station Officer Shafiul Islam said: “Initially we thought there might be a breach under the building. When the narrow canal was dug, the onrush of water from the stadium put excessive pressure on the buildings and the soil, which cracked and tilted the building structures.”

The contractor, Md Rasel, responsible for managing the development of the stadium refused to comment on the matter.

Although there have been no casualties yet, students of the college expressed concern that the building might collapse anytime.

“Haraganga College is around 80 years old which has a specialized computer room with 50 computers, labs for practical classes, and equipment for multimedia classrooms,” said Vice-Principal Nasima Ahmed.

College authorities have decided to conduct exams for honors students but have stopped regular classes for higher secondary students, said Assistant Professor Sirajul Haque Munshi.

He added that a seven member probe committee of teachers was formed to investigate the incident.

Tanjil Hasan
dhakatribune

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