Sharifa Begum Sheuli:
The Public Works Department has initiated an investigation against Additional Chief Engineer of Rangpur Public Works Zone Md. Abul Khair for publishing news of irregularities in various media outlets. Meanwhile, the investigating officer has been accused of completing the investigation by holding a meeting with executive engineers instead of inviting the victims and journalists who published the news to investigate the irregularities.
Since Sunday (February 16) morning, Additional Chief Engineer Md. Abul Khair’s trusted contractors were seen guarding the outside terrorist inside and around the Rangpur Public Works Office. During this time, members of the police and army were seen patrolling inside and outside the Rangpur Public Works Office several times to avoid any untoward incident.
According to the complaint, since joining the Rangpur Public Works Department, Additional Chief Engineer Abul Khair has been getting work done by contractors of his choice in the tenders of major projects in eight districts of Rangpur division. After reviewing several tender documents, it is seen that many have got work done by giving wrong information without paying attention to the rules and regulations. Due to the syndicate of officials in the digital tender under the umbrella of Engineer Abul Khair in Rangpur division, many dishonest officials have become banana trees with nine or six fingers of government money. In this way, this official has become the owner of crores of taka by getting work in exchange for money.
Meanwhile, after various media outlets reported allegations of irregularities in various construction works, including awarding work through a tender syndicate for major projects and using official estimates to get work done to preferred contractors in exchange for money, Additional Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, Md. Shafiqul Islam, was given the responsibility of investigating on February 13. The investigating officer visited on Sunday and joined a meeting held with executive engineers of 8 districts in the Rangpur Public Works Zone and conducted an internal investigation. Although there is a rule to issue letters inviting the victims and media workers who published the news for the sake of a fair investigation, the investigating officer completed the investigation by talking to only the executive engineer and the accused. On the other hand, armed exercises are being conducted inside and outside the Public Works Department to prevent the victims and media workers who published the news from reaching the investigating officer.
When an investigation is initiated due to the publication of news of irregularities, there is a rule to issue letters and summon the victims and media workers involved in the news during the investigation period, but in response to a question as to why they were not summoned in this investigation, Additional Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, Md. Shafiqul Islam, said, “We do not have such statements. We only have the statements of the accused and those involved in the work.” When asked about the demonstration of power by external terrorists outside during the investigation period, he said, “I have not seen anything like this.”
In this regard, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Md. Hamidur Rahman Khan, said on the phone, “In the interest of a fair investigation, the media workers who published the news and the victims should have been informed. This is an internal investigation of Public Works. Even then, I will talk to the officials in charge of Public Works on this matter
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