Ex-PWD engrs under scanner

The National Board of Revenue yesterday asked banks to provide account details of two former Public Works Division top engineers and their wives, said officials.

They are former PWD chief engineer Rafiqul Islam and its former additional chief engineer Abdul Hye, said a NBR senior official, seeking anonymity.

The NBR also directed banks to freeze bank accounts of SM Golam Kibria Shamim, his wife and mother, and of expelled Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan. It also asked banks to send the details of their accounts.

The move came after law enforcement agencies arrested Khaled for running a casino at a football club in the capital and Shamim, popularly known as GK Shamim, for his alleged involvement in criminal activities and tender manipulation.  

And, the names of PWD engineers Rafiqul and Hye came to the fore in connection with alleged tender manipulation by Shamim.

Taxmen said they would also look into the tax files of other government officials against whom allegations of corruption were coming up in the media.  

Officials said the NBR also decided to ask banks to provide details and freeze accounts of lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon and Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Hossain Samrat.  

Allegations against Rafiqul and Hye of taking bribes had been a public knowledge during their service at the PWD, said some serving and former officials of the housing and public works ministry.

The PWD is a department of the ministry. 

Wishing anonymity, at least two former heads of departments under the ministry said there had been allegations of corruption against Rafiqul when he was serving as PWD additional chief engineer and chief engineer.  

 Rafiqul had been the PWD chief engineer for two years between late 2016 and 2018.  

A former head of a department said Rafiqul was blessed by a minister then and he had great influence.  

“Allegations of underhand financial transaction against him were aplenty during his service,” said another former head of a department.  

An official of the housing and public works ministry, however, said the allegation that GK Shamim bribed Rafiqul Tk 1,100 crore for getting work contracts sounds exaggerated. At best, it could be partially true, he said.  

Despite several attempts, Rafiqul could not be reached over his phone number available on the PWD official website.