Residents of Lakshmipur district are fearing major damage as severe cyclone Mocha approaches the coastal areas of Bangladesh.

Locals and officials from the Water Development Board on Friday (12 May) expressed concerns that the under-construction dam project costing around Tk3,100 crore to protect Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas could be jeopardised if there is a strong cyclonic storm.

“A dam construction project is underway at a cost of Tk3,089 crores to protect the river bank in the 33km area of Lakshmipur district on the eastern bank of the Meghna,” sources from the office of the executive engineer at the Lakhsmipur Water Development Board told The Business Standard.

In some areas under the project, geo bags are being dumped in the river for the initial work of dam construction since 2022 which is expected to be completed in the next three years.

“Some dishonest contractors always look for loopholes for corruption,” said Abdus Sattar Palwan, the convener of Kamalnagar-Ramgati Bachao Manch, a local social organisation working on the rights of the river-bank people, and a lawyer of the Supreme Court.

“Any minor damage to the geo bag of the embankment due to any upcoming cyclone or full moon and new moon tide will give the contractors an excuse and opportunity for corruption.”

“They may show that work has been done there, which has gone into Meghna,” he added.

Executive Engineer Farooq Ahmed said, “The dumped geo bags can prevent the riverbank from eroding, but they cannot fight against storms and floods if the dam is not completed.”

“In that case, if there is a storm or full moon tide increases, there will be concerns regarding the geo bags of the dam, consequently, any storm including Mocha can cause heavy damages in the Lakshmipur district,” the official added.