The Crime Desk: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched a drive to investigate allegations of embezzlement by raising a bill of Tk 1,600 crore from the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). An enforcement team from the ACC head office conducted the drive at the LGED head office on Wednesday.
ACC Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Md. Akhtarul Islam said that the ACC received a complaint that about Tk 1,600 crore of LGED was embezzled by raising a bill. After verification, an enforcement drive was launched from the ACC head office. During the drive, the enforcement team spoke to the chief engineer of the LGED head office and other engineers and collected necessary records. The enforcement team also collected records related to all the work received by the contractor company concerned in the complaint. The enforcement team will submit a detailed report to the commission after reviewing the records in full.
Meanwhile, another enforcement operation was conducted by the Jessore Integrated District Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission in the wake of allegations of harassment and irregularities in the provision of land-related services and other land-related services at the Nehalpur Union Land Office in Manirampur Upazila of Jessore district. At the beginning of the operation, the enforcement team undercover collected information related to the provision of land office services. It was learned from talking to a victim that although his application mentioned 19 thousand taka, the union land assistant officer collected 80 thousand taka from the victim. The team also received information that the same officer had taken an additional 4 thousand taka from someone for land-related services. In addition, it was learned during the operation that even if he went to that office for any other work, he had to pay the union land government officer. The person concerned in the complaint had, on his own initiative, hired four outsiders to work in that office without informing the authorities—which is illegal. Overall, the initial truth of the complaint was found during the operation. After reviewing the information received, the enforcement team will submit a detailed report to the commission asking for further action on the complaint.
In addition, an enforcement operation was conducted from the Jhenaidah Integrated District Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of various irregularities and corruption at the Nakol Union Land Office under Sreepur Upazila of Magura district. During the operation, the statements of several service recipients who came to the Union Land Office for services were heard. The ACC team received information that services had to be received through brokers at that office, which has been reported to the concerned authorities to eliminate.
In the wake of allegations of name-calling, land development tax collection, and other land-related services being provided, another enforcement operation was conducted from the Bagerhat District Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission in the wake of allegations of harassment and bribery of service seekers in the South Jiudhara Union Land Office under Morelganj Upazila of Bagerhat district. During the operation, the team members first talked to various service recipients in disguise and collected information. The team learned that the Union Lands Government Officer does not do any work unless the government pays more than the fee prescribed in the name of Namjari, DCR, and Dakhila. In addition, the team observed that the local public has a very negative perception about the officer and the office assistant of the department. No Citizen Charter was observed in that office during the operation. The ACC team requested the Assistant Commissioner (Land), Morelganj, Bagerhat, to strengthen monitoring.
