Imran, Jhenaidah Correspondent: There have been allegations of irregularities and corruption in the tender for the construction of roads and drainage works worth Tk 20 crore in Jhenaidah Municipality. A contractor named SM Shahidul Islam of Jhenaidah has filed a written complaint with the ACC against the municipality’s executive engineer Kamal Uddin for his involvement in the incident. It is learnt that the officials of the District Anti-Corruption Office are hesitant about this matter. During the tenure of the current government, there has been a storm of discussion across the district about this incident. The aggrieved contractor has demanded that the higher authorities of the government take action after investigating.
The complaint states that on October 5, a tender notice of Tk 20 crore was issued for the construction of roads and drainage of the municipality under the RUTDP project of LGED in Jhenaidah Municipality. 19 contracting companies submitted tenders in this.
However, even though the tender was in the current EGB system, Executive Engineer Kamal Uddin secretly gave the work to the contractor of his choice. He did not stop here. The cost shown for the construction of the road is actually two to three times more. There is a potential salvage of Tk 5 crore on the three roads. The drainage work is 2537 meters and the road work is 4608 meters, a total of 7145 meters of work, an estimate of Tk 195 million. However, if the road salvage money is added, the estimate is about Tk 24-25 crore.
However, it has been excluded in the evaluation of the tender. As a result, the government may lose crores of taka.
Crores of taka have been lost in the same way on Principal Karimuddin Road. About 16 lakh taka has been claimed with fake bills in the name of removing 27 poles and 3 crore 73 lakh taka has been claimed for repairing 1270 meters of old road. Salvage worth lakhs of taka has been lost here, which is a sign of an attempt to embezzle state money.
Besides, the cost of constructing only 1270 meters of drain along Karimuddin Road has been shown to be more than 4 to 5 crore taka, although there are many old drains along the road. A 1300 meter drain has been shown from Jhenaidah Municipality to Nabaganga River, but on-site investigation shows that it is an old drain and that it would be sufficient if it were renovated in some places. The tender has been mentioned as ‘effective work’, meaning that it would only be possible if renovations are made in places. However, the cost for this has been shown to be around 5 crore taka.
Another important aspect of the complaint is that Executive Engineer Kamal Uddin has been working in the same position for a long time, as a result of which irregularities and corruption are being committed on his part. Despite being transferred, he is still working in the municipality, creating legal complications.
In this regard, Kamal Uddin, Executive Engineer of Jhenaidah Municipality, said, “Everything has been done within the rules. Some contractors are complaining against me because they are not getting additional benefits.”
Meanwhile, Jhenaidah Municipality Administrator Rathindranath Roy said that the concerned PD office will investigate the matter and take action. I do not know whether Engineer Kamal Uddin is involved in this incident.
