Fourteen officials and employees of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) have been accused of corruption, irregularities, loss of government revenue, document forgery and accumulation of illicit wealth. Victims and concerned citizens have submitted written complaints to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), seeking investigations into the allegations. According to sources familiar with the matter, the ACC is expected to look into the complaints.
The complainants allege that an influential network has been operating across several departments of the city corporation for years. They claim that the alleged activities have hampered public services and development initiatives while causing substantial losses to government revenue. The allegations, however, require independent verification, and the accused officials and the city corporation should be given an opportunity to respond.
SCC Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury has been working in the field to accelerate development projects and address civic problems through on-site inspections. According to the complainants, ensuring the effectiveness of these initiatives requires an impartial investigation into alleged corruption and irregularities within the organisation.
Earlier, Mohammad Sadikur Rahman, a resident of Ward 21, along with several other individuals, submitted a petition to the ACC headquarters seeking an investigation into 14 SCC officials and employees. The petition reportedly included their names and relevant documents. A separate complaint has also recently been submitted to the ACC's Dhaka office, according to the complainants.
The allegations identify former SCC Chief Engineer Nur Azizul Rahman and former Acting Chief Engineer Md Ali Akbar as key figures in an alleged network of influence. The complainants claim that the two continued to exert influence over the corporation's activities even after being transferred elsewhere. Alleged irregularities include the preparation of backdated documents, file forgery, manipulation of contract awards and approval of building plans in violation of regulations. These claims have yet to be independently established.
The complaints further allege that official seals and signatures of senior SCC officials were forged to facilitate the approval of administrative and engineering documents. The alleged practices included producing replica seals in the Surma Market area and preparing approvals for unauthorised building plans and backdated files at a separate location. Verification of the relevant documents and forensic examination would be necessary to establish the facts.
Another allegation concerns approximately 258 temporary and daily-wage workers of the corporation. According to the complainants, the workers were promised permanent employment and charged Tk 10,000 each as processing fees for High Court proceedings. The total amount allegedly collected was Tk 25.5 lakh. The complainants also claim that some workers were threatened with dismissal when they sought refunds.
Former Chief Engineer Nur Azizul Rahman has been accused of exerting influence over development projects for years, favouring selected contractors, receiving commissions and approving building plans in violation of regulations. The complaints also refer to his alleged past arrest and involvement in several cases. Former Acting Chief Engineer Md Ali Akbar has separately been accused of irregularities in tender-related activities and a potential conflict of interest in an investigation into construction work.
Executive Engineer (Civil Works) Md Raziuddin Khan, Sub-Assistant Engineer ATM Saidur Rahman and Additional Assistant Engineer Belal Ahmed have also been accused of approving unauthorised building plans, accepting bribes and accumulating assets beyond their known sources of income. The complainants say they possess documents supporting their allegations.
Concerns have also been raised over the corporation's revenue and service departments. Chief Assessor Md Abdul Batit has been accused of causing revenue losses by allegedly assessing property taxes for commercial buildings and residential complexes at significantly lower rates in exchange for bribes. Chief Waste Management Officer Mohammad Eklim Abdin has been accused of irregularities involving waste management and contractor dealings, while Licensing Chief Rubel Ahmed has allegedly been involved in collecting illicit payments related to licence issuance and renewals.
SCC Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rezai Rafin has also faced allegations of negligence in administrative oversight and indirectly supporting the alleged network. Further complaints concern the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated to projects that were subsequently cancelled, irregularities in fuel purchase vouchers for official vehicles, and the alleged resale of fuel procured with public funds. Journalists investigating these matters have reportedly faced threats and intimidation.
Concerned citizens have called for an impartial investigation and legal action against anyone found responsible. They have also demanded accountability for the misuse of public funds and assets. Independent scrutiny by the ACC, examination of financial transactions and statements from all parties concerned are considered essential to establishing the facts and ensuring due process.