Widespread allegations have been alleged against Canada-based Simor International Solutions Limited and its local agent TK Enterprise, owned by Tarek Khondakar, for irregular activities and violations of conditions in various operations of Bangladesh Railway.
According to the allegations, although Simor Industrial Solutions Limited is stated to have been established in 2008, it was Federally registered temporarily in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
However, from 2008 onward the company had no formal activities anywhere for a long time. Even records and documents of the Canadian government’s company registration authority show evidence that the company was completely inactive and had no business activities until 2016.
Officially, the Company was re-registered on 20 June 2016 at 500 Dufferin, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This registration information is clearly mentioned in documents issued by the Canadian Government’s company registration authority.
Government-issued official documents from the Canadian registration authority regarding this matter are in the possession of this reporter.
As the said company was newly -registered on 20 June 2016 at the mentioned Toronto address, all its legal and business activities also commenced from that date. In that case, by concealing or manipulating these facts, Simor’s participation in the Bangladesh Railway’s foreign spare parts supplier enlistment tender No. P6/DSL/Supplier/Enlistment/2016 and its subsequent official enlistment constitute a violation of rules and must be considered illegal, because a foreign company newly registered in the same year cannot participate in tenders in person due to failure to meet the requirement of prior experience.
Since they have no evidence of previous spare parts supply, financial capability, business experience records, and other required documents to meet the eligibility conditions set in the 2016 enlistment tenderor cannot possibly have them approval of Simor’s enlistment in that tender process and any subsequent supply contracts based on it are legally void, illegal, and challengeable.
On-the spot verification shows that there is no office, signboard, or representative physically present at the address provided on Simor’s official website and registered with Bangladesh Railway; instead, a wholesale disposable food container company named Greendish.ca exists at that address. Video evidence related to this is now in the possession of the English daily The Country Today.
Regarding the controversial company’s business activities and supply records, it is learned that the company has no railway-related business or supply record in North America.
Moreover, there is no record of Simor in supplying goods or parts to the railways of any other country in the world; only record of supply to Bangladesh Railway is found.
Furthermore, the local representative TK. Enterprise, whose undisclosed owner is Tarekul Islam Tarek Khondakor , lists Tarekul Islam Tarek Khondaker’s mother Kalpana Begum as the principal owner in the trade license registration.
The owner has other unnamed institutions are Khandaker Builders, The Giant Enterprise, and Bangladesh Trade and Technical Service.
The licenses and registrations of these institutions show residential addresses allocated to railway employees in Chattogram, which is completely irregular.On the other hand, a review of the company and local agent’s activities shows that they are supplying low-quality, old and damaged goods, which are being purchased at high prices. As a result, Bangladesh Railway is facing financial losses and there is a serious negative impact on public interest.A large syndicate run by local agent Tarek Khondaker controls the Railway spare parts procurement process, and accomplices of this dishonest syndicate include Rabiul Islam, Mohammad Saiful Islam, and Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury, who operate as representatives of several foreign companies under false names.
Further allegations reveal that although Kalpana Begum, the mother of Tarek Khondaker, is listed as the principal owner in the trade license registration of TK Enterprise, no one related to the railway has ever seen her. She has never been present even at the signing of contracts with the railway; yet her signature appears on every supply contract. Under the names of these institutions, through irregularities in the LTM method, hundreds of crores of taka worth of supplies have been made, obtaining the highest number of work orders, resulting in rampant corruption over the past years.
It is also learnt that general contractors have become helpless due to the influence of this dishonest syndicate and are being severely affected.
These include violations and misconduct, breaches of government procurement rules, PPR Rules 2025, and other official protocols.They are allegedly continuing massive irregularities in the tender process through threats, deception, fraud, and misuse of influence.For example, six contractors forcibly submitted tenders after the scheduled time in violation of PPR-2025 rules for Bangladesh Railway Foreign Diesel Spare Parts Enlistment-28.03.3080.822.09.004.28.
It is widely alleged that due to these actions, the normal official operations of the Chief Controller of Stores, Chattogram of Bangladesh Railway have become almost paralyzed. For instance, although the enlistment tender was opened on 30 November, according to the relevant provisions of PPR Rules 2025, the Tender Opening Report (TOR/TOS) must be finalized and submitted within 24 hours; however, even after nine days had passed, for unknown reasons No TOR/TOS or any subsequent tender evaluation activities could be carried out. The tender opening process was stalled for 9 consecutive days by the Tarikul syndicate.
Later, under pressure, to save themselves, railway officials signed with backdated dates and finalized the tender opening report, covering up the matter. This incident caused dissatisfaction and resentment among general contractors and railway officials.
It has been alleged that when concerned railway officials and employees attempt to comply with rules, this dishonest syndicate influences the entire tender process through threats.
In the tender, a total of 54 foreign companies, through their local representatives, submitted tenders properly and on time. But six identified members of the Tarekul Islam Tarek Khondakar syndicate intentionally did not submit tenders properly and on time; now they are continuously issuing threats and exerting constant pressure on concerned railway officials, obstructing all tender-related activities.In this situation, general local suppliers and foreign companies are reportedly living under threat and fear from this dishonest syndicate.It is mentiined that Railway-related experts say that activities should be conducted by following the relevant provisions and procurement processes under PPR Rules 2025, and that railway tender and procurement processes must be implemented transparently.
They further said that it is necessary to ensure a syndicate-free environment in the railway so that proper quality spare parts can be procured and fairly evaluated through healthy competition. This will ensure the financial security of the railway and maintain the quality of necessary spare parts and equipment in the long term.
Meanwhile, on-site verification at Simor’s registered address found the existence of a different disposable food container and cutlery wholesale company named “Greendish”, evidence of which is in the possession of this reporter.
Besides, on-the-ground investigation in Tangail, the home district of Simor’s chief Tarek, revealed that he was an accused in a drug case and that during the fascist Awami League government, he used the names of various political parties and exploited poor and helpless people by lending money in interest; when they failed to repay, he forcibly seized their properties.A railway source in Chattogram said that Tarekul Islam Tarek Khondakar was a domestic worker at the residence of a Railway officer from Tangail district. Essentially, that officer arranged a Eailway contractor’s license for Tarek to serve his own business interests. After that, Tarek never had to look back. He allegedly owns illegal assets worth hundreds of crores of taka in Gazipur, Uttara, and Chattogram.Recently, at the direct instruction of an adviser at the Railway Ministry, directions were given to take necessary measures on an urgent basis after investigation into these irregularities and allegations. However, even after 15 days had passed, no action was taken due to Tarekul’s influence; rather, the Ministry’s order has been buried.It was not possible to contact the concerned parties to obtain their statements regarding these allegations.
