Questions have been raised over the prolonged tenure, alleged administrative influence, political connections, and reported accumulation of assets of Lutfa Begum, a second-class employee at the office of the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) of Bangladesh Railway’s Eastern Zone. According to railway records, Lutfa Begum joined the CPO (Eastern) office in 2004 and has remained posted at the same office through 2026. Her uninterrupted tenure of nearly 23 years at a single workplace, without any transfer, has reportedly surprised some of her colleagues.

Several railway employees said that regular transfers are a normal part of administrative practice in large government organizations. They questioned why Lutfa had remained in the same office for such a long period.

A senior railway official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that employees who remain in the same workplace for an unusually long period can sometimes become influential.

“If the administration remains silent, such employees may get opportunities to use political or administrative connections to retain their positions. This can potentially disrupt office discipline and normal administrative activities,” the official said.

Alleged Influence Over Administrative Matters
Lutfa has also been accused of establishing a personal sphere of influence within the office over the years.

Some employees have alleged that she has influence over various administrative matters, including transfers, recruitment, pension-related files, files concerning temporary suspension, freedom fighter quota issues, and the recruitment of TLR (Temporary Labour Recruitment) workers.

However, these allegations could not be independently verified.

There are also allegations that Lutfa was politically influential during the tenure of the previous Awami League government, when she reportedly served as the women’s affairs secretary of the central executive committee of the Bangladesh Railway Sramik League.

Some railway officials and employees have claimed that her alleged closeness to former Railways Minister Mujibul Haque helped strengthen her position within the organization. These claims, however, could not be independently verified.

It has also been alleged that Lutfa was issued show-cause notices on two occasions in the past over alleged inappropriate behavior toward colleagues. Some sources claimed that the notices were subsequently withdrawn due to her political influence. However, details of the relevant documents could not be independently confirmed.

Promotion After Political Change
Questions have also been raised over whether Lutfa’s influence continued following the country’s recent political transition.

According to sources familiar with the matter, she was promoted to the post of Assistant Administrative Officer with the support of the Office of the Director General of Bangladesh Railway.

However, the exact process through which the promotion was granted, and whether there were any irregularities in the process, require verification through official records.

Questions Over Family Assets
Questions have also been raised regarding Lutfa Begum and her family’s assets.

There are allegations that, despite holding a relatively low-ranking government position, she owns two apartments at the Krishnachura Apartment complex in Halishahar, Chittagong, along with properties in Nalapara and other parts of the city. There are also claims that her family owns a house in Dhaka and substantial immovable property in their village home.

However, without reliable government records establishing ownership and the sources of funding for these properties, no definitive conclusion can be drawn regarding the allegations.

Use of Government Vehicle Draws Attention
One of the most discussed issues concerns the use of a Toyota Land Cruiser double-cabin pickup reportedly used for Lutfa’s transportation to and from her office.

The vehicle bears the registration number Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3544. According to information from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the vehicle was registered in 2001 and is owned by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), reportedly under the office of the Executive Engineer, Ramna Road Division.

Lutfa’s husband, Rafiqul Islam, who works as an Assistant Arboriculturist with the Roads and Highways Department, told the media that the vehicle had been allocated to him for official purposes. He said that after completing official duties, he sometimes allowed the vehicle to be used to transport his wife.

However, Chattogram Divisional Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Md. Shahe Arifin told the media that assistant engineers and officials of equivalent rank generally use pool vehicles, while vehicles are normally allocated for the official use of heads of offices.

This has raised questions over whether a government vehicle assigned to one government department can legitimately be used for the personal transportation of an employee of another department.

Lutfa Declines to Provide Detailed Response
Attempts were made to obtain Lutfa Begum’s response to the allegations. She was contacted by phone and sent questions through WhatsApp, but she did not provide a detailed response. Instead, she reportedly responded with a sarcastic emoji.

Earlier, speaking to another news outlet, Lutfa claimed that she knew who had supplied the information against her. She alleged that a particular group was conspiring to remove her in the hope of securing a promotion.

She also reportedly said that the administration knew her well and that no evil force could remove her except through what she described as “the miraculous power of Allah.”

Need for Independent Verification
Railway officials and employees believe that the allegations surrounding Lutfa Begum’s 23-year tenure at the same office, the alleged disparity between her income and assets, her purported political influence, and the reported use of a government vehicle should be independently examined.

They said a transparent and impartial inquiry by Bangladesh Railway, along with relevant agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), could help establish the facts.

At this stage, however, several of the allegations remain unverified. A thorough examination of official records—including posting and transfer records, promotion files, asset declarations, property ownership documents, vehicle allocation records, and relevant administrative files—would be necessary to determine whether any rules or laws were violated.