Corruption in Rangamati DPHE

The officials accused by Kamal Uddin include DPHE Executive Engineer Abu Khaled.

"They are doing these illegal activities for long in connivance with some influential contractors who have formed a syndicate and none dares to raise his voice against them", Kamal alleged while talking to this correspondent.

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He demanded inquiry into the allegations.

Kamal alleged that the leader of the contractors' syndicate, Ashutosh Barua, a former secretary of district Awami League (AL), forced him out of the DPHE office when he went there to buy tender schedule on September 25. "Ashotosh threatened me with dire consequences", he alleged.

"Earlier on September 20, I went to DPHE Estimator Osiur Rahman and Cashier Arun Chandra Das to buy tender schedule.

"They told me that all works will be given to party men. Your name is not on the lists given by the montree (minister), the CHT Regional Council Chairman and the Hill District Council", Kamal said in the written complaint to Moniswapan.

"I also sent a copy of the application to the Bureau of Anti Corruption", Kamal told this correspondent.

"Some youths belonging to a political party also threatened me on Sunday. I will file a General Diary with police", he said.

The contractors in connivance with a section of corrupt DPHE officials are depriving the government of taxes and misappropriating money allotted for development works, he alleged.

Osiur and Arun have DPHE contractor's licence in other names and they are misappropriating money in the name of development work, he alleged.

On September 22 and 23, the contractors and officials divided the work for set up of 60 ring wells in Kalindipur and Vedvedi area in the town without bidding, Kamal alleged.

When contacted, DPHE sources said a one-member probe committee has been formed by RHDC after they received a written complaint of irregularities.

The committee is headed by RHDC Chief Executive Officer AKM Golam Faruk but it has no time limit to submit its probe report, they said.

All works under the DPHE have been placed under the disposal of Rangamati Hill District Council (RHDC) as per conditions of CHT peace accord signed in 1997 between the government and indigenous leaders.