Dhaka, June 16 -- Authorities in Narayanganj have halted extracting soil beneath the pillars of the Padma Bridge Rail Link at Fatullah's Aliganj, following concerns raised over safety and lack of prior approval.

The district administration said the work has been temporarily stopped until relevant project documents are verified after officials claimed that soil was being removed as part of a construction-related operation.

Locals said soil had been excavated beneath the bridge pillars for days.

The issue drew attention after residents obstructed the activity and videos of the site went viral on social media.

The administration said it had not been informed in advance, although notifying local authorities is standard procedure for such ...