Akhaura-Laksham Expansion: Rail project PD to be removed over graft

The railways ministry has asked Bangladesh Railway (BR) to remove project director Ramzan Ali from the Akhaura-Laksham Dual Gauge Double Line Project after a corruption case was filed against him.

The ministry gave the directive recently following instructions from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), railway sources said.

In August, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two separate cases against Ramzan Ali and his wife Dilruba Parvin Elora for allegedly amassing around Tk 4.28 crore beyond their known sources of income.

"We will change him [from the post]," BR Director General Md Shamsuzzaman told The Daily Star yesterday.

Asked whether any other measures would be taken against him, the DG said, "It depends on the Anti-Corruption Commission's [case verdict]."

Ramzan was project director of the Khulna-Mongla Rail Link Project before he was given charge of the "Construction of Dual Gauge Double Line and Conversion of Existing Rail Line into Dual Gauge Between Akhaura-Laksham", a few months ago.

Earlier, he served as chief engineer (west) of BR.

In the corruption case filed by ACC's Deputy Director Abu Bakar Siddiqui on August 16, Ramzan was mentioned as project director of the Khulna-Mongla Rail Link Project.

According to the case document, he amassed Tk 2.43 crore through bribes and corrupt practices. This correspondent could not learn when and from whom he allegedly took bribes.

On the other hand, his wife has amassed Tk 2.48 crore between September 24, 2007 and June 30, 2019. Of this amount, around Tk 1.85 crore was amassed beyond the known sources of income, said the case document.

Railway sources said the PMO asked the railways ministry to take steps in this regard in the last week of September.

The railways ministry recently sent a letter to the Director General of BR asking him to give a proposal for appointing a new project director for the Akhaura-Laksham project.

BR is implementing the Akhaura-Laksham Project at a cost of Tk 6,504.54 crore under an Asian Development Bank loan while the Tk 3,801.61 crore Khulna-Mongla Rail Link Project is being implemented under Indian Lines of Credit.

This correspondent attempted to contact Ramzan Ali for comment, but he did not respond to calls and texts.

Railways Ministry Secretary Salim Reza could not be reached over phone.