Special Correspondent:

Despite massive corruption and anomaly allegations, this time, Md. Abdur Rashid Mia, who is known as “Ghost of Corruption” and “Durnitir Mia Bhai” has been reappointed as Chief Engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) based on a one-year contract that causes huge discussions and criticism at the most important department of the government.

How BNP awarded this guy, who elevated corruption to an industrial level has now become talk of the country.

Reports about this controversial person’s misdeeds have been published in almost all the media outlets of the country at various times earlier. Rashid Mia was at large position during the tenure of Dr. Yunus government with black money. He has become able again to “manage” the BNP led government! But, how it was possible such as question is revolving among the minds of concerned officials, who have been deprived of the opportunity even after being eligible.

In 2023, when he was the supervising engineer of the department, a complaint was filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding his irregularities, corruption and amassing huge amounts of wealth through grafts and irregularities. The truth of the complaint was also revealed just after the initial investigation.

Although, he was summoned several times regarding the complaint, he did not respond, ACC sources said.

Instead, he suppressed the complaint and then he was promoted from the position of supervising engineer to the position of additional chief engineer. Although, the government was criticized for this, the ousted Awami League did not take any action in this regard.

He did not have to face any obstacles during the immediate past interim government. Rather, he took up the position of chief engineer of the department, claiming to have been harassed during the previous Awami League government. On February 4, he was appointed as chief engineer for six months as additional responsibility.

It is alleged that an invisible force in the incumbent BNP backed government has appointed him to this position in exchange for a huge amount of money.

It is known that, he was also able to cover up the ACC investigation that began in 2023. He was assisted in this by one of his sons-in-law with the rank of Joint Secretary, who was once a staff officer of an influential former ACC commissioner.

The deprived senior officials of the organization have expressed their anger over giving him the responsibility of the chief engineer of the department despite these massive allegations. They believe that, the government’s image will be tarnished, if the responsibility of such important organizations goes to such controversial officials one after another. Therefore, they have demanded revision about the government decision over the reappointment of this controversial person.

Abdur Rashid Mia, who hailed from Kazipur in Sirajganj district was a leader of Bangabandhu Engineers’ Parishad during the Awami League regime. He exerted influence in the LGED with the blessing of the then Health Minister late Mohammad Nasim and his son Tanvir Shakil Joy.

Before getting post of Chief Engineer, several allegations were submitted to the ACC over amassing more than Tk 300 crores illegally. However, he got appointment as Chief Engineer (CE) with the intervention of an invisible force in the Dr Yunus government and amassed more money and assets in the six months with the help of his two close associates, who also hailed from Sirajganj.

Most of the money earned by illegal means has been siphoned abroad including Singapore and Malaysia, insiders claimed.

ACC’s an initial investigation found that, there are 12 contracting firms in the name of his wife Fatima Zakiyah and some other close relatives. These firms received project work worth about Tk 1,200 crore in the 2021-22 Fiscal Year lonely. In comparison, other competing contracting firms received about 30-40 percent less work during that time.

A secrete report of ACC revealed that, there are eight flats and three plots in Gulshan, Banani and Bashundhara residential area of the capital. He has a five storied and a seven storied building in Rajshahi. Besides, he has huge assets in and abroad including Sirajganj, Sherpur in Bogura and Dhaka.

LGED, one of the largest development agencies in the country, implements development projects worth around Tk 35,000 crore to Tk 40,000 crore every year. This huge budget directly relates to the country’s roads, bridges, culverts, educational institutions, office buildings and rural infrastructures.

The corruption of Rashid Mia and his associates earlier has directly affected LGED’s projects.