Tk 1.85cr found in civil servant’s possession

A government official was detained in Dinajpur yesterday after the Anti-Corruption Commission recovered more than Tk 1.85 crore from his possession, said ACC officials.

The detainee is Tajul Islam, project implementation officer (PIO) of Parbatipur upazila.

Although there was no official comment on how the 40-year-old man accumulated the money, an ACC official said it was stolen from different government project funds.

Abu Hena Ashiqur Rahman, deputy director of the anti-graft watchdog in the district, said acting on a tip-off received on ACC hotline 106, a seven-member team raided Tajul’s office at Parbatipur Upazila Complex around 5:30pm.

The team, accompanied by policemen, found Tk 55,000 at the office, he said, adding that they later found more money stashed in four travel bags at Tajul’s residence at the complex.

He said the bags were hidden under the bed and almirah.

On being informed, Executive Magistrate Md Dabir Uddin and Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur Mahmudul Alam went there, Ashiqur said, adding that they brought a money counting machine and found the amount to be Tk 1,85,25,000. 

The raid ended around 7:40pm.

Tajul had joined as Parbatipur PIO on July 1, 2016.

ACC officials said a case would be filed and Tajul would be handed to police.

Last year, the anti-graft watchdog in Dinajpur arrested 29 people, including 24 government officials, in graft cases, said its sources.

The Daily Star could not get Tajul’s comm