Culvert Construction Work : Allegation of bribery against PIO
Galachipa upazila project implementation officer (PIO) has allegedly demanded Tk 4 lakh as bribe from a contractor when the latter applied for a final bill after completion of the construction work of a culvert in Dakua union.
Contractor Saiful Islam, also a 6th semester student at East West University in Dhaka, has recently brought the allegation of bribery against PIO SM Delwar Hossain. Saiful has already informed the authorities concerned about the matter.
On June 21, the contractor filed a written complaint against the PIO with the Patuakhali deputy commissioner, Anti-Corruption Commission and the higher authorities of Department of Disaster Management and Relief in this regard.
According to the complaint, in the financial year 2018-2019, Saiful got the work order of Tk 30.79 lakh for construction of a 36-feet-long culvert on the road adjacent to Kalikapur Madrasa in Dakua union of the upazila under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
On September 8 in 2019, the PIO issued the work order to the contractor and set a deadline of February this year to complete the construction work of the culvert. After completion of the construction work, the contractor on June 8 applied for the final bill to the upazila nirhabi officer (UNO). On the same day, PIO Delwar Hossain phoned Saiful's father Abdus Salam and demanded Tk 4 lakh as bribe. PIO Delwar is yet to send the final bill to the Department of Disaster Management and Relief in Dhaka for approval as the contractor did not pay the amount demanded by Delwar.
On condition of anonymity, another contractor said he got a similar work order for construction of a culvert in the upazila and the construction work was completed on time. The PIO also demanded Tk 4 lakh as bribe from him when he asked for the final bill. His bill is yet to be sent to Dhaka as he did not pay the bribe money.
PIO Delwar Hossain said the allegation of demanding bribe brought against him is not true. Contractor Saiful's bill will be sent to Dhaka for approval next month.
Contacted, UNO Shah Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said "14 such culverts have been constructed in different areas of the upazila and due to lack of funds, we sent nine final bills to Dhaka for approval last week. The remaining bills will be sent to Dhaka in the middle of next month."
"I don't know anything about the PIO demanding bribe, but if I receive a written complaint in this regard, I will look into the matter," said the UNO.
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