Staff Correspondent

Serious allegations of corruption and administrative irregularities have once again rattled the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), centering around the highly controversial appointment of a project director.

A formal complaint submitted to the Local Government Division Secretary alleges that Tofael Ahmed, a former Chhatra League leader and associate of the ousted Awami League regime, secured his position as the Project Director (PD) for the Tk 6,000-crore "Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project " (IUGIP) by paying a staggering bribe of Tk 6 crore.

The written complaint, filed recently by an individual named Mohammad Ali, claims that a influential syndicate is actively plotting to misappropriate the massive funds of this key development project. According to the document, despite the fall of the autocratic regime following the student-led mass uprising on August 5 last year, beneficiaries of the past government continue to cling onto pivotal positions within the LGED.

The complaint highlights that a major donor agency had previously raised strong objections to Tofael Ahmed's nomination for the same post, which had forced the department to reinstate the highly experienced and successful former PD, Md. Abdul Barek. However, in a sudden turn of events, the veteran official was abruptly removed to facilitate the unethical appointment of the junior officer, putting the future infrastructure and governance of 88 municipalities at severe risk.

The complainant further detailed the controversial background of Tofael Ahmed, identifying him as the "right-hand man" of former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder. During his four-year tenure as an Executive Engineer in Naogaon, Ahmed allegedly abused the former minister's political clout to amass illegal wealth worth crores of taka. The complaint alleges that Ahmed, his wife Dilruba Hossain, and other family members own multiple plots, luxury vehicles, residential flats, and substantial hidden bank balances across Dhaka and various other districts.

Furthermore, the complaint leveled specific technical fraud allegations regarding ongoing road construction works under the IUGIP across the 88 municipalities. While the standard engineering specifications for Three-RCC roads mandate a 12-inch thick casting with reinforcement placement at every 4 inches, the newly appointed PD has allegedly colluded with certain contracting firms, instructing them to reduce the casting thickness to just 6 inches. In exchange for compromising the structural integrity and durability of these public roads, Ahmed is reportedly pocketing a hefty kickback of up to 30 percent from the contractors.

Citing internal LGED sources, the written complaint claimed that this appointment is part of a broader systemic breakdown. Over the past few days, at least 11 controversial project directors have allegedly been appointed to various high-value projects in exchange for massive monetary exchanges, completely disregarding institutional seniority. The complaint stated that promotions, recruitments, and postings within the LGED are currently being driven by bribery, allowing associates of the previous regime to retain field-level postings through monthly payouts while depriving qualified, dedicated, and meritorious engineers.

The complainant urged the authorities to initiate a neutral and thorough investigation to stop the plundering of state funds and foreign loans.

When contacted via WhatsApp to comment on the matter, PD Tofael Ahmed vehemently refuted all the allegations, labeling them as completely fabricated and baseless.