Mir Khairul Alam, Satkhira

Agitation is growing among the civil society members and a section of local contractors due to inaction against the Shahidul Islam, Executive Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) in Satkhira by the higher authorities concerned even after raising allegations over several corruptions and irregularities.

Though, he was transferred to Kushtia through an office order signed by Ashfiqun Nahar, Deputy Secretary according to the directive of President on February 17 last centering several grafts’ allegations, he however, has not yet been left the Satkhira office due to unknown reasons. As a result, speculation is spiraling among the local service seekers.

Allegation has been intensified that, Shahidul Islam, Executive Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department in Satkhira and also man of Kashiani in Gopalganj district has amassed crores of taka’s wealth by illegal means. Taking shelter under corruptions and irregularities in different projects, he has established a mountain of illegal wealth at home and abroad.

Meanwhile, he has become owner of five storied building at New Market area of Jashore district, eight to ten plots and several bighas of land in Kashiani of Gopalganj.

It is learnt that, Shahidul joined at Public Health Engineering Department in Satkhira on May 20, 2021. After joining in the office, he got engaged in several corruptions and irregularities abusing his power by introducing himself as a close relative of the than Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He also started commission trade creating pressure on relevant contractors. If someone did not comply with his demands, he would not be paid the bill.

According to the official sources, the then government undertook project involving at Tk 8850.73 crore in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 with the aim to ensure supply of pure drinking water across the country.

Of them, about Tk 212 crore was allocated in five packages for Satkhira district. The projects include harvesting of rain water, setting of deep tube-wells and submersible pumps for the poor and backward people in the area.

Under the projects, the Executive Engineer Shahidul Islam in collaboration with some other unscrupulous officials and local public representatives (union parishad members) realized Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000 from per beneficiary instead of authorized amount at Tk 1500.

Many people including Al Amin Hossain, Al Arafat Hossain, Karim Sheikh of Atulia in Shyamnagor, Ayesha Khatun, Amena Begum of Ramzan Nagor village said, “We were forced to pay Tk 15,000 to Tk 25,000 to collect water tank from the government. After use, we have come to know that, the tanks, supplied by the DPHE were below standard.”

Mofizur Rahman, former Engineer of DPHE in Satkhira Sadar said, “Shahidul Islam has turned his office into a den of corruption. No contractor would get work, if he or she denied paying five to 10 percent commission against the facility. Taking the advantage, a firm named Kamal Enterprise grabbed bulk portion of the works paying demanded commission to him. Besides it, the executive engineer misappropriated crores of taka without any work by submitting several fake projects.”

Mofizur further said, Shahidul joined in the job taking quota facility in 2012, though his father’s name was published in gazette in 2016.

Nazrul Islam, proprietor of Kamal Enterprise said, “We have performed our duty according to the schedule. We have distributed water tanks to the beneficiaries according to the list of the office. So, I am not liable for any fault.”

While contacted with Shahidul Islam, Executive Engineer of DPHE in Satkhira declined to make any comment in this regard saying that, I can’t say anything without consent of my higher authorities.”