“I received the official letter today,” said DRRO

Staff Reporter:

The much discussed Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj district-Md Abul Kalam Azad, who is now in jail in an ACC case on charges of acquiring illegal wealth, has become suspended temporarily.

Regarding this, a letter signed by Saidur Rahman Khan, Secretary of the Ministry for Disaster Management and Relief, was issued on May 7, but the matter comes to light today (Wednesday), when the letter reaches to the hand of concerned DRRO in Sirajganj.

Abdul Bashed, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer in Sirajganj said, “I have received the official letter today.”

According to the letter, Abul Kalam Azad was suspended because he was arrested in an ACC case and is in jail. He will receive alimony as per the rules until the trial of this case is over. This order will be effective from the date of arrest on May 4.

On the night of May 3, an ACC team arrested him from his house in Pabna. He has been in jail since then. Abul Kalam Azad had been working as a PIO in Shahjadpur upazila for 14 years.

Abul Kalam Azad is the son of Shamsher Ali of Hasampur village in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna.

The ACC said that, an investigation was launched against him in 2023 on charges of acquiring assets undeclared. Later, on May 8, 2024, a statement on assets was sought from Abul Kalam Azad, his wife Marjina Khatun and son Fazle Rabbi Rion. They submitted relevant statements on July 3.

On March 11, 2025, ACC Assistant Director Sadhan Chandra Sutradhar filed three cases against them on charges of acquiring assets in illegal means and concealing information about the assets.

In the case, Abul Kalam Azad has been accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 132,046,000 undeclared. His wife Marjina Khatun has been accused of acquiring and possessing assets worth Tk 156,83,483. His son Fazle Rabbi Rion has also been accused of possessing assets worth Tk 115,36,941.

In addition, the ACC also received information about unusual assets in the name of Abul Kalam Azad’s brother-in-law Jamal Uddin Fakir. On October 7, 2024, he was asked to provide a statement of assets. Later, he submitted his asset statement on December 8.

When the ACC’s investigation found information about assets that were more than his declared assets, another case was filed on October 23, 2025. Jamal Uddin Fakir has been named the main accused in that case and Abul Kalam Azad has been named the second accused.