Photo : Collected
Five officials of Rangamati Zila Parishad including a member and four engineers in collusion with three contractors have allegedly embezzled Tk 32,86,806 through the creation of fake projects in the hill district. Assistant Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Ahamed Farhad Hossain, filed four cases against the individuals concerned at the ACC Integrated District Office in Rangamati on Thursday.
Deputy Director Zahid Kalam confirmed the initiation of legal proceedings against the accused. Among those charged are Rangamati Zila Parishad Executive Engineer Birol Barua, Assistant Engineer Reagan Chakma, Assistant Engineer Jyotirmoy Chakma, and Samriddhi Enterprises owner Milan Talukdar. They are accused of embezzling Tk 8,58,853.85 during the implementation of a project titled ‘fish dam and paved irrigation drain construction’ on Kamini Chakma's land in Bhushanchhara Union No. 4 of Barkal Upazila in the financial year 2018-19. An independent engineering team commissioned by the ACC determined that essential work worth Tk 3,80,155.85 (earthwork) and Tk 4,78,698.55 (drain work) was never carried out.
During the project implementation, Sub Assistant Engineer Reagan Chakma and Assistant Engineer Birol Barua served as site engineers, while Kya Hla Khei supervised as Executive Engineer.
Moreover, Reagan Chakma, Birol Barua, Kazi Abdus Samad, M/s Nanjing Enterprises owner Chinghen Rakhine, and Zila Parishad member Sabir Kumar Chakma have been accused of embezzling Tk 6,51,000 for the installation of a deep tube well, including drinking water arrangements in Sublong Bazar, during the 2017-2018 financial year. ACC investigations revealed the absence of any deep tube-well materials at the location, yet Reagan Chakma presented fraudulent documents for contractor payment. Executive Engineer Kazi Abdus Samad and Zila Parishad member Sabir Kumar Chakma were also implicated in the matter.
Furthermore, Reagan Chakma, Jyotirmoy Chakma, Birol Barua, Kazi Abdus Samad, M/s Amlendu Chakma owner Amlendu Chakma, and Zila Parishad member Sabir Kumar Chakma of Sublong Union in Barkal Upazila stand accused of embezzling Tk 8,37,000 under the pretext of the 'Sublong Community Center Ghar o Paka Shiri Nirman' project. ACC investigations failed to ascertain the existence of the said project, yet Reagan Chakma recommended the contractor for bill payments. Jyotirmoy Chakma and Kazi Abdus Samad also endorsed the final bill without proper verification. Zila Parishad member Sabir Kumar Chakma, responsible for recommending the contractor without thorough scrutiny, is also implicated in the case.
In a separate incident, Reagan Chakma, Jyotirmoy Chakma, Birol Barua, Kazi Abdus Samad, Chinghen Rakhine, owner of M/s Nanjing Enterprises, Mamunur Rashid Mamun, chairman of Bhushanchara Union Parishad No. 4, and Sabir Kumar Chakma, member of Zila Parishad, are accused of embezzling Tk 9,39,953 through a fictitious project titled 'Road Improvement from East Erabunia Matsya Dam to Ahader Bari in Harun Tila area' in the upazila during the 2016-17 financial year. The ACC discovered that there was no area called Harun Tila as claimed, and the project lacked a case map in its estimate. Sub-Assistant Engineer Reagan Chakma, despite the absence of project evidence, recommended the contractor for bill payment. Assistant Engineer Jyotirmoy Chakma and Executive Engineer Kazi Abdus Samad also signed the final bill. Executive Engineer Birol Barua approved the work for the fake project without proper verification, goes the allegation.
END/TDM/ARS
