CHATTOGRAM: Allegations of bribery involving Tk 7.1 million have surfaced over a building construction project in the Halishahar Chhoto Pool area of Chattogram city. Several officials and employees of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), along with a private firm, Parfe Associate Limited, have been accused of involvement in the alleged irregularities.
According to information obtained during an investigation, CDA approved a 10-storey building on a plot owned by Nurullah and others under file No. 134/24. However, the project owners reportedly sought approval to construct a 13-storey building. The request for additional floors allegedly became the basis for the disputed financial transactions.
Yusuf Shah Saju, 45, proprietor of Parfe Associate Limited, allegedly collected around Tk 7.1 million in the first phase by promising to secure approval for the additional floors. He was also accused of introducing himself as a CDA engineer.
A portion of the money allegedly went to several individuals, including Md Hossain, who was then the personal assistant (PA) to the CDA chief engineer, engineer Nobel Mitra and employee Naim Uddin. However, the individual amounts allegedly received by them have not been independently verified.
The reporter also reportedly has recordings of conversations concerning the alleged transactions. The authenticity, context and identities of the individuals involved would need to be independently verified to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
When contacted, Yusuf Shah Saju reportedly acknowledged taking the money and alleged that Nobel Mitra, Naim Uddin and Md Hossain were involved in the matter.
“Engineer Nobel Mitra, employee Naim Uddin and Chief Engineer's PA Hossain were involved in this matter. Naim Uddin and Hossain went to different places to recommend approval for a 13-storey building,” Saju said.
Naim Uddin, meanwhile, said he did not know how much money had been received by each individual. However, he alleged that Yusuf Shah Saju and Hossain had handled the matter.
“I do not know who took how much money. However, Yusuf Shah Saju and PA Hossain handled the matter,” Naim Uddin said.
Md Hossain, the former personal assistant to the chief engineer, denied receiving any money in connection with the project. He said he had only recommended the proposal to the chairman of the Building Construction Committee for approval of a 13-storey structure.
“I know nothing about taking money. I only made a recommendation to the chairman of the Building Construction Committee so that approval could be granted for a 13-storey building,” Hossain said.
Several questions remain unanswered, including whether the proposal to increase the building's height was processed in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations, whether the relevant officials followed the prescribed approval procedures, and whether any financial transactions were linked to the decision-making process.
Building construction approvals are expected to follow established regulations and official procedures. If any irregularities or illicit financial transactions took place, the allegations should be examined through an impartial investigation.
A thorough inquiry would require scrutiny of the relevant approval documents, the alleged call recordings, financial transaction records and statements from the responsible CDA officials.
An official response from the CDA authorities was not included in the information available for this report. Their comments, along with further documentary verification, would be necessary to establish the facts and determine whether the allegations are substantiated.