Contractors paid Tk 1.36cr even before work starts

A project was passed for the financial year 2022-23 to build two new school buildings with the funding of the World Bank in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria at a cost of Tk 1.36 crore.

On March 7, Local Government Engineering Department flouted a tender for constructing multi-storied buildings of Kasba Girls Government Primary School and Taltala Government Primary School in the municipal area.

On March 30, the work order was issued against M/s Nadia Enterprise and M/s City Trade.

As per relevant rules, including Unnayan Prakalpasamuher Artha Abamukti o  Bebohar Nirdeshika (roughly translated to fund disbursement and use for development projects), fund for such projects should be withdrawn in phases, only after the work begins.

But in a gross disregard to existing provisions, the contractor firms withdrew the entire Tk 1.36 crore from Sonali Bank (Kasba branch) on April 21 and 22 respectively, without even starting the construction works.

The appeals for withdrawal contained the signatures of LGED engineer Saiful Islam and UNO of Kashba upazila Mohammad Amimul Ehsan Khan, indicating their alleged involvement in the irregularities, confirmed bank sources.

Relevant stakeholders seeking anonymity alleged that Saiful has taken bribe from the contractors to give them such unlawful benefits.

Saiful denied the allegation but confirmed that Tk 1.36 crore was indeed withdrawn from the bank with his signature.

"See, the project was for FY 2022-23. But the project was in no position to be completed within this deadline. So the allocated money would have gone back to the donor organisation. This shouldn't have happened, especially at a time of economic crisis. So I did it for my country," he said.

Replying to a question, he said, "The contractors have kept the pay orders as deposit. They cannot just disappear by taking such a huge amount of money. The buildings will be constructed."

UNO Mohammad Amimul Ehsan Khan echoed the same.

Asaduzzaman Tipu, proprietor of M/s City Trade, claimed that they are implementing five more projects under the LGED in the upazila. As the funds for those projects haven't been disbursed yet, the upazila engineer issued the bills for the school construction in advance as compensation.

No one from  M/s Nadia Enterprise could be reached for comments.

In a recent visit to the project sites, this correspondent saw only the works of dismantling the old buildings were going on.

Headteachers Nilufa Yasmin and Ayesha Akter of Taltala Government Primary School and Kasba Government Girls Primary School said classes are now being taken in section of the old buildings.

Contacted, executive engineer of Brahmanbaria LGED Md Abdul Mannan  said, "There is no provision of taking advance bills without starting work. We will look into the issue."