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<i>Rivals in politics, partners in tender scam</i>

17 March 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Our Correspondent, Rangpur

Although rivals in politics, leaders of BNP and Awami League in Rangpur have showed up as 'friendly partners' to manipulate tender for two construction work orders worth Tk 3 crore under Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Rafiqul Islam Dulal, Awami League (AL) former president of Sadar upazila unit, and Pirgachha upazila unit BNP secretary Aminul Islam Ranga reached a 'negotiation' to get the two work orders. Accordingly, leaders and activists of the two parties thronged Rangur LGED office on Monday to ensure that 'opponent contractors' could not drop the schedule. LGED sources said 80 tender schedules were sold for the two work orders. But only six contractors including Rafiqul Islam Dulal and Aminul Islam Ranga dropped tender documents. On February 27, Rangpur LGED floated a notice inviting contractors to participate in the tender to construct a road in two parts from Nekmahmud to Kandi Union Parishad office under Pirgachha upazila. March 15 was the last date for purchasing tender schedule while March 16 was fixed for its dropping and tender box opening. Only three contractors including Dulal and Ranga dropped tender documents for each work. A contractor of LGED preferring anonymity said Dulal and Ranga managed with money majority of the contractors, who are known as AL and BNP leaders. As a few non-partisan contractors did not accept the 'negotiation', AL and BNP leaders and activists kept guard at Rangpur LGRD office to prevent them from dropping tender documents. When contacted over cell phone, executive engineer of Rangpur LGED told this correspondent that he had been in Dhaka for two days. Assistant Engineer of LEGD, who was in-charge during the executive engineer's stay in Dhaka, said, “We don't care for what has happened outside the department. We must declare the tender formally as more than one contractor participated in the tender for each work.” As Dulal and Ranga mentioned lowest rates, the department must assign them with works as per the Public Procurement Regulation, he said.