Allegation of Tender Scam

ACC asks BIWTA to investigate

17 December 2009, 17:00 PM

Unb, Barisal

Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Barisal office on Tuesday asked Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to submit report after investigating the allegation of corruption and irregularities in leasing Barisal Port. Nazrul Islam, ACC Deputy Director of Barisal, said a letter has been sent to BIWTA chairman through proper channel in this connection recently. ACC sources said, a contractor recently lodged a complaint with ACC saying he submitted tender for lease of two stations of Barisal Port for fiscal 2009-10 at Tk 20,500 per day and became the highest bidder. But the BIWTA without showing any reason rejected his offer and started operating the two stations under separate arrangement at only Tk 12,000 per day. The rejected bidder claimed that labour wing of the ruling party has been operating the two stations following an underhand deal with the BIWTA authorities. The stations were not only leased in low rates, but also a huge amount of money became arrear from different organisations, associations and cooperative societies as those are patronised by the ruling party men, according to a source. He also claimed that due to the underhand deal the authorities are losing public fund of at least Tk 8,000 a day and around Tk 2,40,000 per month. Contacted, Mustafizur Rahman, acting port officer of Barisal, declined to give details about the matter. He said they are yet to receive any directives from the higher authorities to submit documents to the ACC.