Beneficiaries in Harinakundu, Jhenaidah, have alleged that money allocated under an employment programme for extremely poor people was misappropriated by listing fake canal-digging workers. They said excavators, rather than labourers, carried out most of the work, while a protected tertiary irrigation canal under the Water Development Board’s GK irrigation project was dug instead of approved drainage canals.

Office sources said two approved drainage-canal projects in fiscal year 2025-26 had a combined allocation of Tk 15.8 million. The Joradah Jatar canal was to employ 293 workers and the Kesmat Ghoragachha canal 78 workers. Water Development Board Executive Engineer Ranjan Kumar Das said protected irrigation canals cannot be excavated and may only be reshaped under specified designs. He said no design or technical opinion had been sought.

Residents alleged uneven excavation could hinder irrigation water reaching farmland and said trees along the canal bank were cut. Upazila Executive Officer Prodipta Roy Dipon said there were irregularities in the worker list and a report had been sent to the district administration. Project Implementation Officer Azizur Rahman denied wrongdoing, while the district commissioner said legal action would follow if an investigation proves irregularities.