September 24: BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that a “deep conspiracy” is underway to destabilise Bangladesh with the aim of rehabilitating former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and paving the way for the return of her ousted political power. Rizvi made the remarks on Thursday at a pre-rally gathering organised by the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal in the Gulshan-2 area of the capital. The rally was held to protest what the organisers described as attempts to destabilise the country through planned acts of terrorism.

According to Rizvi, forces that have been defeated politically are attempting to create instability through illegal and violent means. He alleged that incidents involving arson attacks on buses, explosions and plans for bomb attacks were part of an effort to undermine Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty and democracy.

“The Awami League was ousted in the face of the student-people’s movement. Now, they want to regain their lost power and rule through illegal and terrorist means,” Rizvi said.

He claimed that buses had been set on fire in different parts of Dhaka in recent days, putting children, drivers, transport workers, day labourers and rickshaw pullers at risk. He also alleged that explosions had taken place on buses.

Referring to information reportedly published in newspapers, Rizvi said that calls were allegedly being made from a foreign telephone number to people in Bangladesh, asking them to send photographs of explosive devices. He claimed that those who sent such photographs were promised financial payments.

“If this is happening, then it is a major plan and an ominous conspiracy,” Rizvi said. He alleged that the objective was to create instability in Bangladesh and undermine its independence, sovereignty and democracy.

Rizvi further alleged that individuals based in a neighbouring country were attempting to recruit people in Bangladesh to carry out bomb attacks or set buses on fire, with payments allegedly being made through bank accounts. He said the matter required serious consideration regarding the direction in which the country was heading.

Criticising Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure, Rizvi alleged that Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty had been under pressure during that period and that the country had not progressed towards democracy. He also accused the previous government of acting in accordance with the interests of another country.

Rizvi further alleged that attempts were now being made to rehabilitate Sheikh Hasina by taking advantage of the current regional situation and subsequently restore what he described as the previous regime.

However, he said such efforts would not be easy, arguing that the fall of the previous government had resulted from a broad-based movement involving people across political lines.

“The rule that caused a stream of blood to flow in Bangladesh through oppression and persecution will not be allowed to return,” Rizvi said.

He referred to the deaths and injuries of thousands of people during the country’s recent political upheavals and said that the previous political order would not be allowed to return.

The allegations made by Rizvi at the rally could not independently be verified from the information provided.

Allegations of severe financial misconduct, nepotism, and administrative paralysis have surfaced within the Rural Power Company Limited (RPCL), where a powerful three-member syndicate allegedly calls the shots.According to investigation findings, engineer A.H.M. Rashed failed to secure the top position in the Managing Director (MD) recruitment exam, finishing second. Despite this, he allegedly secured the position of Managing Director of RPCL in September 2025 through substantial financial transactions. His appointment was reportedly orchestrated by a close circle comprising Rezaul Kabir, Executive Director (O&M); Shahjahan Fakir, General Manager (Finance); and Nazmus Sayadat, the then Member (Finance) of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB).

Sources allege that these three officials maneuvered to influence the then interim government's advisor, Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, by raising illicit funds to secure Rashed's appointment. This bribe money was allegedly collected from Harbin Engineering, the contractor for the 360 MW power plant under construction in Mymensingh, by Project Directors Rezaul Kabir and Shahjahan Fakir, in exchange for granting illegal favors to the contractor.

Further violations involve the step-up transformer (240 MVA, 132 kV) for the Mymensingh plant, which was delivered in a damaged condition. Without formal approval from the RPCL Board, the procurement authority—under the authorization of then-Acting MD and BREB Finance Member Nazmus Sayadat—allegedly permitted the contractor to repair and redeliver the equipment, granting them undue commercial advantage.

Investigative disclosures reveal that this cycle of corruption severely compromised state interests to fund Rashed's ascension. As a reward for facilitating the process, project director Rezaul Kabir was promoted by the newly appointed MD Rashed to Chief Engineer—and subsequently to Executive Director (O&M) within a span of just two months. Meanwhile, Shahjahan Fakir secured additional responsibilities as Executive Director (Finance) alongside his General Management role.

Staff members report that RPCL’s operational performance has nosedived under this triumvirate. Chain of command has largely broken down, causing widespread frustration among employees. Routine administrative files remain unattended as Rezaul Kabir and Shahjahan Fakir reportedly spend hours lingering in the MD’s office. Critical decisions across RPCL, RNPL, and BPEMC are allegedly dictated by Shahjahan Fakir, leaving MD Rashed heavily reliant on his coterie.

Additional allegations surround the procurement of coal for RNPL’s 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant. Former Acting MD Nazmus Sayadat allegedly awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to "PT Sambar" through a single-source, non-compliant tender process. The company subsequently supplied substandard coal, leading to temporary plant shutdowns. Despite the poor quality—which halted supplies after roughly 600,000 tons—MD Rashed and Shahjahan Fakir allegedly extracted illegal per-ton commissions from the supplier. This rushed transaction was finalized in February 2026, just prior to national elections, bypassing standard institutional evaluation protocols.

Operational neglect has further crippled generation capacity. The gas turbine-4 of the Mymensingh 210 MW power plant remained non-functional for 14 months (March 2025 to May 2026), costing RPCL roughly BDT 1.1 billion. A.H.M. Rashed served as the plant-in-charge during a significant portion of this downtime. With key chief engineering posts intentionally left vacant, generation across four major plants—including Mymensingh, Gazipur (105 MW and 52 MW), and Raozan (26 MW)—remains severely hobbled.

Administrative rules have also been bypassed regarding executive postings. Despite a clear Board mandate to advertise the Executive Director (Finance) position by November 30, 2025, the post remains unadvertised to accommodate Shahjahan Fakir, who lacks the requisite credentials and is currently enrolled in an evening MBA (Accounting) program. This irregular arrangement is allegedly backed by MD Rashed and BREB Chairman Major General S.M. Zia-ul-Azim.

Recent recruitment cycles for Executive Engineer and Sub-Divisional Engineer positions were marred by rampant question paper leaks and seniority violations, engineered to favor specific bribing candidates. Committees responsible for these recruitments reportedly bypassed the Executive Director (P&D) Nayeem, instead installing Rezaul Kabir—due to his close personal ties with MD Rashed and former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed, with whom both hail from Mymensingh.

While austerity directives from the Prime's Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance, and Power Division remain in force, top executives including the MD, Executive Director, and GM (Finance) have reportedly procured and misused four new Pajero jeeps for personal and official transit.

Furthermore, Shahjahan Fakir has retained dual control as CFO of the subsidiary BPEMC for over six years, despite the company being virtually inactive for the past two years. Sources claim this position is maintained solely to facilitate financial maneuverings alongside a Chinese partner, "Shenzhen Star." Compounding these concerns, a retired army officer and close associate of BREB Chairman Zia-ul-Azim—Major (Retd.) Md. Kabirul Islam—has reportedly drawn regular salaries as GM (Technical) at BPEMC for two years despite a total absence of operational duties.

Whistleblowers conclude that this entrenched syndicate has effectively hijacked RPCL, compromising national energy security for private enrichment.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation into allegations against Narayanganj Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Executive Engineer Shuvo Ahmed, accusing him of securing government contracts using his father Mamunur Rashid's contracting license and committing irregularities in project implementation. As part of the inquiry, an ACC enforcement team conducted an on-site inspection of a BWDB irrigation project in Rupganj's Daudpur Union.

Key Highlights of the ACC Investigation
On-Site Inspection: A three-member ACC enforcement team visited the Daudpur Union irrigation project to observe work conditions, talk to local residents, and verify allegations.

Document Collection: Prior to the site visit, ACC officials collected necessary documents from the BWDB central office in Motijheel, Dhaka.

Conflict of Interest: According to ACC findings, at least seven projects were awarded under the name of the executive engineer's father, Mamunur Rashid, in this zone, with approximately 40 million (40 lakh) BDT withdrawn against these works.

Scope of Inquiry: The probe covers project approvals, tender processes, work orders, contractor qualifications, bill withdrawals, work quality, and the involvement of responsible officials.

Official Statements
ACC Narayanganj Integrated District Office Assistant Director Asif Al Mahmud stated that the enforcement team visited the Rupganj project after reviewing initial documents. He emphasized that an official serving in a specific area while their close relative operates as a contractor creates a severe conflict of interest and opens opportunities to influence decision-making and oversight.

Document records reveal that Shuvo Ahmed serves as the Executive Engineer of the Narayanganj Water Development Division, overseeing local irrigation and drainage activities—including a 2025 notice issuance against 12 establishments for occupying the Agrani irrigation project drainage canal, and supervising a June 2026 eviction drive to recover illegally occupied canals in the Borpa area.

Next Steps
The ACC's comprehensive report will evaluate how the seven contracts were approved, the validity of the tender process, financial transactions, and whether the executive engineer played any direct or indirect role in favoring his family's business.

Note: Immediate comments from Executive Engineer Shuvo Ahmed or his father Mamunur Rashid regarding the allegations were unavailable at the time of the report.

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New roads being cut open to construct drains, dustbins purchased at nearly twice the market price, contracts awarded to a debarred contractor, and consultants drawing salaries without carrying out their assigned duties—these are among the allegations of irregularities and mismanagement surrounding a development project of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

The allegations have surfaced in the Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement (UGIIP) project, which is being implemented with a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

According to separate reports prepared by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the Planning Ministry and the Local Government Division, the project has faced problems ranging from poor planning and construction quality to irregularities in procurement and contractor selection.

The project aims to improve civic services and strengthen institutional capacity in municipalities and urban areas across the country.

New road to be cut for drain construction
One of the clearest examples of poor coordination has been found in the Chaugachha area of Gangni Municipality in Meherpur.

Road and drain construction were taken up under separate packages. However, after construction of the new road, authorities found that there was insufficient space to build the planned drain.

As a result, a decision was taken to cut open the newly constructed road to install the drain.

The approval process for the work reportedly took several months. The situation has not only raised questions about the wastage of public funds but has also caused considerable public suffering.

Dustbins purchased at unusually high prices
The project's procurement process has also come under scrutiny.

An audit objection alleged that low-quality dustbins were purchased at unusually high prices and that payments were made without proper testing of the products. The alleged financial loss to the government from this procurement was estimated at Tk 18.77 crore.

Project records show that two types of dustbins were purchased.

A total of 252,000 20-litre dustbins were procured at Tk 680 each, costing Tk 17.136 crore.

Another 25,200 120-litre dustbins were purchased at Tk 6,800 each, also costing Tk 17.136 crore.

A review of prevailing market prices found that the project paid nearly twice the market price for the dustbins, according to the findings cited in the reports.

Debarred contractor awarded work
Serious allegations have also been raised over contractor selection.

According to the findings, a contract was awarded to a contractor who was debarred from undertaking government work at the time, instead of the lowest bidder.

The alleged financial loss to the government in this case was Tk 50.33 lakh.

In another case, a contractor who failed to complete work within the stipulated time was allegedly given special consideration, with the performance security not being forfeited as required. This reportedly caused a further loss of Tk 1.28 crore.

The reports also found that a consulting firm used government premises under the terms of its contract without paying rent. This resulted in an alleged loss of Tk 4.75 lakh.

In addition, income tax amounting to Tk 38.99 lakh was allegedly not deducted from payments made to the consulting firm.

The total financial loss identified in five audit objections was approximately Tk 21 crore.

Questions over construction quality
The IMED also identified several shortcomings in the quality of construction work at different project sites.

According to its findings, the required gradients and curves of roads were not properly maintained in more than 40 percent of the cases examined. This could pose risks to road safety and affect the durability of the infrastructure.

Design changes have also been made at several locations because of land encroachment and space-related complications. The changes have raised questions about the project's initial planning and design process.

Safety risks at project sites
The inspection reports also identified several safety concerns.

At some locations, deep excavations beside footpaths were found without adequate safety barriers or protective posts. In other places, the absence of railings created risks for pedestrians.

In Gomostapur of Chapainawabganj, covers over drain openings were reportedly found to be unsafe, creating potential accident risks for women, children and elderly people.

In Alamdanga of Chuadanga, some completed sections had reportedly deteriorated but had not been repaired.

At several locations, uncovered manholes and open drains were found, creating risks of accidents as well as concerns over foul odours, mosquito infestation and waterlogging.

In Kaliganj, construction waste was reportedly dumped at locations connected to drains, potentially reducing their effectiveness.

The reports also found that bricks had been used in some works despite the government's decision to discourage their use in construction activities.

Inconsistencies in project planning
Questions have also been raised about inconsistencies between the project's original plans and the quantities of work ultimately approved.

The Development Project Proposal (DPP) initially set a target of constructing 1,500 kilometres of roads and 900 kilometres of drains.

However, the approved project provided for 1,037.81 kilometres of roads and 437.8 kilometres of drains.

There are also discrepancies in the quantities of roads and drains mentioned in the project's logical framework.

These inconsistencies have raised questions about how the project targets were determined, how the feasibility assessment was conducted and how the final scope of work was approved.

Weaknesses have also been identified in the project's financial and economic analysis.

One of the project's stated objectives was to ensure that infrastructure development took into account the needs of both women and men and that women constituted at least 50 percent of participants in activities in poverty-stricken areas. However, this target was reportedly not achieved in around 30 percent of the cases.

Attempts to suppress reporting alleged
There were also attempts to discourage reporting on the irregularities identified in the reports.

Project Deputy Director Imtiaz Zahirul Haque allegedly offered the reporter an illicit financial benefit and said that Project Director Toufail Ahmed had instructed him to make the offer. The reporter rejected the proposal. An audio recording of the conversation has reportedly been preserved.

Project director's response
Asked about the allegations, Project Director Toufail Ahmed said responses had been submitted to the audit objections.

“None of the objections has been settled yet. The verification process is ongoing,” he said.

He added that the allegations concerning the implementation of the project were being taken seriously and would be examined.

The Tk 6,345 crore UGIIP project, intended to improve urban infrastructure and municipal services, therefore faces questions over planning, procurement, contractor selection, construction quality, financial management and project supervision.