Awami League leader Al Amin Chowdhury, the younger brother of former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, has been accused of embezzling crores of taka from the local people in Shalla of Sunamganj with the aim of building a market named Mujibnagar on the government’s private land.
Many have started talking against Upazila A’League general secretary and former upazila chairman Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mahmud (Al-Amin Chowdhury), younger brother of former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
It is known that in 2021, Al Amin Chowdhury took up the program of building 400 shop VT market on government land at a place called Garhi Ghat. Al Amin Chowdhury called the residents of his village and held a meeting at his home on the occasion of Mujib Centenary. The government constructed Mujibnagar village by constructing 150 shelter houses under the Asryan-2 project. The then upazila chairman Al Amin Chowdhury was involved in its overall activities. A few days later, the local residents said that they decided to build Mujibnagar Bazaar on the government’s private land on the south side of the said village.
He created a verbal management committee to build the market and gave that committee the responsibility of collecting 30 thousand taka from the people of the area against the VT of each shop.
In the investigation, it is known that the upazila through Md. Afzal Miah, Zubair Ahmed (Dalim), Zia member, Hekmat Miah, and Ashadul Miah of Ishaqpur village, known in the area as Danhat of Al Amin Chowdhury, a resident of Srihail village.
1 crore 20 lakhs was withdrawn from people of different villages against 400 shops.
1 crore 20 lakhs was withdrawn from people of different villages against 400 shops.
But even after 4 years there is no spectacular activity in Mujibnagar market, people who have given money are in trouble.
Afzal Mia, a member of the Mujibnagar Bazaar Committee, was contacted over the phone and said, “We have collected money from various people in the area as per the words of Chaudhary (Chaudhuri) Saber.” But I have given all the money that I raised to Chadhri (Al Amin Chowdhury). When asked how many people he has withdrawn money from, he said, “You will have to see the receipt and say, brother.” I have given receipts to those from whom I have received money. When asked how many VTs were prepared in Mujibnagar market, he said, 400 VTs will be done brother.
When speaking to one of the members of the committee, Zubair Ahmad Dalim, he said, I have withdrawn money from 49 people. By the order of Al Amin Sahib. I reaped some money and gave the rest to Al Amin Sahib. When asked why the market is not happening, he said, “I can’t say anything about it, only Al Amin can say it better.”
Similarly, Zia member and Hekmat Mia Arup Miyay said that they also withdrew the money and gave it to Al Amin Chowdhury. They also said that they are also in trouble by withdrawing money in the name of the market according to Mr. Chowdhury. Can’t give shop floor to people, can’t return money.
Dulal Miah of Srihail village said that he directly gave 90 thousand taka to Al Amin Chowdhury for VT of 3 shops. When asked when he gave the money, he said that he gave it in front of the people present in the first meeting.
When I spoke to Ashadul Mia of Ishaqpur village on the phone, he said, I have collected 16 VT and went to Al Amin Chowdhury’s government bus building and deposited 1 lakh 90 thousand to Chayan Chowdhury of Dumra village and the remaining 2 lakh 90 thousand to Dalim, a committee member. However, Chayan Chowdhury denied the matter.
On the other hand, there is no document preserved in the office of the Shalla Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and the office of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer to find out about the arrangement of shop VT in the government license system regarding the market in government special places.
On the other hand, Amjad Miah, a resident of Dampur village in the upazila, told this reporter that the wife of Sundar Ali of Kandigaon village and former female member Monowara Begum had given money for two shops in Mujibnagar market. When asked to whom the money was given, they said, “We gave the money to Afzal Mia, Astabhazan of Al Amin Sahib of Srihail village.
On the other hand, Amjad Miah, a resident of Dampur village in the upazila, told this reporter that the wife of Sundar Ali of Kandigaon village and former female member Monowara Begum had given money for two shops in Mujibnagar market. When asked to whom the money was given, they said, “We gave the money to Afzal Mia, Astabhazan of Al Amin Sahib of Srihail village.
Since last August 5, the younger brother of former IGP Shalla Upazila Awami League General Secretary and former Upazila Parishad Chairman Al Amin Chowdhury has not been able to talk. Several attempts to contact him on his phone failed.
When I spoke to Shalla Union Chairman Md. Abdus Sattar Mia over the phone, he said, “It is not my period, but I have heard that Al Amin Chowdhury of Srihail village and his people have withdrawn a lot of money through various people saying that they will open a market near Mujibnagar.” He also said, there will be no market here. I think that the money should be returned to those who have taken money from the people of the area by promising to build the shop. Otherwise there is a possibility of deterioration of law and order in the area.
When I spoke to Shalla Union Chairman Md. Abdus Sattar Mia over the phone, he said, “It is not my period, but I have heard that Al Amin Chowdhury of Srihail village and his people have withdrawn a lot of money through various people saying that they will open a market near Mujibnagar.” He also said, there will be no market here. I think that the money should be returned to those who have taken money from the people of the area by promising to build the shop. Otherwise there is a possibility of deterioration of law and order in the area.
