Rehennuma Tarannum:

The controversial firm of SM Golam Kibria alias GK Shamim, who was arrested on charge of controlling tenders and involving with Casino, was given an additional bill of Tk 10 crore without any work by some unscrupulous officials of Public Works Department (PWD). The incident took place centering the Agargaon National Institute of Neuroscience Hospital construction project under the Department of Public Works.

The information came out in search of the executive magistrate and the engineers of the company while trying to cancel the work taken in the name of GK Shamim’s firm. The matter has already been reported in writing to the higher authorities from the office of the supervising engineer.

Fazlul Haque (Madhu), Executive Engineer (currently supervising engineer-development) of Public Works Department (PWD) in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar-1 office was involved with the incident.

Mohammad Shamim Akhtar, Chief Engineer of the PWD told The Future Bangladesh that, “We have come to know about the issue of paying extra bills for the construction of neuroscience hospital. We are now giving emphasize on how to get this huge amount of money back from the government. Contracts with the firm to which the bill has been issued have also been canceled. Now, it is difficult to bring back the paid amount of money from the organization. How the money was given and who gave it; those are matter to know. Action would be taken against those, who were responsible in this works.

According to the sources, GK Builders owned by GK Shamim started construction works of Neuroscience Hospital in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar of the capital on October 8 in 2018. The construction cost of the 15-storied building was fixed at Tk 167.74 crore with two years deadline.

In the meantime, the contractor completed the work of shore piling and partially completed the work of cutting the soil of the main building of the hospital. About 30 percent of the basement mats have been cast and the roofing of the 2nd and 3rd basements has been completed. But after the arrest of GK Shamim, his firm stopped construction works. As a result, the authority canceled the work in the name of GK Shamim’s organization according to the PPR. After that, it came to the notice of the authorities that Shamim has been given an additional bill of more than Tk 10 crore against the work.

According to the investigation, the construction of the National Neuroscience Hospital was stopped for a long time and the Department of Public Works canceled the contract with the contractor on January 13 last year. Executive Magistrate Nazmul Hossain was then appointed for the joint measurement of the construction work as per the rules.

On March 22 of the same year, the work was jointly measured in the presence of the project director, executive magistrate, contractor’s representative and the concerned executive engineer. The value of the work done in that joint measure has been Tk 19.50 crore. Of them, a bill of Tk 9.95 crore was paid to the contractor on March 18 in 2019.

In less than three months, a total of Tk 29.95 crore has been paid to the contractor including another amount at Tk 20 crore on June 30.

As such, the contractor firm has taken more than Tk 10,44 crore.

On February 14 this year, Md Rokanuddin, Supervising Engineer of the Department of Public Works (Dhaka Public Works Circle-3) wrote a letter to the concerned Executive Engineer Mohammad Moazzem Hossain asking for details in this regard.

He also wants to know what steps have been taken to recover the additional Tk 10.44 crore. But after this letter, the executive engineer replied on March 28 tactfully avoiding the matter. As a result, no official progress was seen in collecting the money.

Talking to several engineers, it is known that Md Fazlul Haque Modhu took charge as the executive engineer of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar-1 onOctober 14 in 2015. He discharged duty there till August 26 in 2019. During his tenure, GK Shamim’s firm was given a work order and two consecutive bills.

With the help of this engineer, GK Shamim undertook works of several crores of Taka including construction of Nito project, extension of Neuroscience Hospital and Suhrawardy Hospital under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Division.

Therefore, the name of engineer Fazlul Haque Madhu came up for discussion, when he was arrested by a member of the law enforcement agencies.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also started an investigation against Shamim. When the matter of GK Shamim scandal came to relax somewhat, he took a step up to the supervising engineer of  the PWD from the executive engineer.

Seeking anonymity, some engineers said, it is almost impossible to get the extra money back. Because of every contract and obligation of work is different according to PPR. There is no chance of deducting money from one project to another. Consequently, this Tk 10.44 crore of the government may go into waste.

While contacted, Fazlul Haque Modhu said, “It was done when the contractor (GK Shamim’s firm) could not pay for another project. Attempts are being made to coordinate the money now. I have no personal friendship with GK Shamim.”

The engineer also claimed that the case of the ACC has already been resolved.