Staff Correspondent:

Md Tajul Islam, former Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, has come under serious allegations of large-scale corruption and abuse of power during his tenure, with accusations that he turned the ministry into a “centre of plunder.”

Sources claim Tajul, a businessman-turned-politician, allegedly “invested” Tk100 crore to secure a ministerial position following the controversial 2018 general election, and later used the position to recover the amount with profit.

The former minister is also accused of demanding commissions on almost all files that moved within his ministry, stating openly to top officials, “I bought this chair for Tk100 crore. If I don’t take commission, how will I get my money back?”

Once considered an insignificant figure in politics, Tajul rose to power through alleged influence and money. After joining the Awami League, he reportedly purchased positions within party committees and eventually became a lawmaker in 1996 from Cumilla-9. He was re-elected in 2008 and continued for four consecutive terms. Tajul was appointed LGRD Minister after the 2018 election, securing one of the largest ministries in terms of budget and development work.

According to his election affidavits, his declared wealth increased by 242 times between 2008 and 2024—from a little over Tk16 crore to more than Tk118 crore. Investigations suggest his actual wealth both in Bangladesh and abroad is significantly higher. In 2018, his total assets stood at Tk47.46 crore. Within just four years, this more than doubled.

Sources allege that under Tajul’s watch, commissions were collected from nearly every allocation made to district, upazila, municipal, and union-level projects. His close associates—including his nephew Shahadat Hossain, assistant personal secretary (APS) Zahid Hossain, brother-in-law and Laksam Upazila Vice Chairman Mohabbat Ali, nephew Amirul Islam (former Vice Chairman of Monohorganj), and development coordinator Kamal Hossain—allegedly controlled this commission network.

APS Zahid and nephew Amirul effectively ran the ministry, handling transfers, tenders, appointments, and removals of public representatives, say officials. Senior bureaucrats were reportedly hesitant to act without their approval.

Kamal, serving as the minister’s personal secretary, allegedly profited immensely from LGED tenders in Cumilla, particularly in the Laksam-Monohorganj area. Operating under the name “Master Enterprise,” he secured contracts and sold them off for profit. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against him in November 2023, accusing him of illegally amassing Tk9 crore. ACC sources revealed that Kamal owns over Tk600 crore in assets, though only a fraction has been formally documented.

Executive Engineer Mohammad Nasrullah of DPHE Cumilla was also accused of collaborating with Kamal in manipulating project awards and misappropriating funds. Allegations include rapid completion and full billing of multimillion-taka projects within days, suggesting fabricated documentation and theft.

Local residents and political insiders have demanded that the former minister’s assets be confiscated and a thorough investigation be carried out. They claim that politics under Tajul became a “business venture” driven by greed and corruption.