Md Anwar Ullah, Dhaka: Uncertainty prevails over the visibility of newly looked Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) as the project work, which is supposed to start on July 2019, has not started yet.
More than one and a half years (14 months) have already been gone since the ECNEC approved the project titled ‘The Development Work of the Bangbanadhu National Stadium’ on June 25, 2019 but only two work orders out of the five packages under the whole project were offered.
Meanwhile, an amount of Taka 96,60,000 lakhs will be deducted from the total budget of Taka 98,3627000, as the honorarium for part time supervision worth Taka 21,60,000 and Taka 75,00,000 allocated for visiting different venues of the World Cup 2018, Russia are no more necessary.
Muhammad Sarwar Jahan, Director Planning and Development (PND) of the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Ministry of the Youth and Sports stated all at his NSC Tower office to the Independent on last Wednesday.
Principal Architect of Bashat Artek Consortium Masudur Rahman, who has been appointed to complete the project, talked to the Independent on Sunday when he said that the project will not be completed on due time, as one and a half years have been lost due to COVID-19 situation and due to the compliance with some administrative formalities.
PND of the NSC Sarwar Jahan also said, “We have already given out some of the work orders but the stadium is not available as the Bangladesh Premier League Football is going on and it is also a reason for the delay to start the development works.
“Nearly taka one crore will be reduced from our total budget of more than 98 crores taka as Taka 21 lakhs allocated for expert supervision and Taka 75 lakhs allocated for visiting the stadiums of Russia will be deducted as the plans were cancelled” said Sarwar.
“The ongoing Bangladesh Football League is now delaying start of the works, so we will figure out an opportunity to get the stadium free. We are in close touch with the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), hopefully will have a space,” Sarwar Jahan replied to a query.
Architect Masudur Rahman when talking to this correspondent said, “We have experiences of working on such projects at home and abroad, as we were appointed to renovate the BNS and the Mirpur Sher-E-Bangla Cricket Stadium within six months before the Cricket World Cup in 2011, Goa Hockey Stadium, main and outer (India), Sylhet Cricket Stadium, Jamalpur Stadium and Cox’s Bazar cricket stadium.”
“But there are some obstacles to work faster due to limitation of funds and complying with some administrative formalities. Although on-field works have been completed but infield works or the execution of construction works is yet to start. We are hoping to overcome all the fences and we will make it start” added Masudur.
Masudur said “Actually, we wanted to have a wonderful looking stadium after the name of Bangabandhu with modern facilities after removing the shops otherwise we will not get the real picture. If all the shops can be removed then the actual picture will be seen. But it would be more costly and the budget would have to be increased.”
“There is also need to save the shops by constructing those shops newly with up gradation of the design along with a plaza but it would need huge budget,” Masudur Raham revealed about their works.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), Abu Nayeem Shohag informed the Independent on Wednesday that the football league and the renovation works will have to run simultaneously, it will be tough to discontinue the season and even now they are yet to discuss on this issue.
“Renovation works of the BNS is very much essential but not obviously by interrupting the ongoing league. May be on the next week we will have a seating with NSC and will discuss on this subject” said Shohag.
Shohag added that “Our President is also for the renovation works of the stadium (BNS) but not compromising with the football season.”
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