Underhand Deals: DGHS driver makes millions

It is the tale of Abdul Malek alias Badal, a driver of Directorate General of Health Services, who has raked in millions allegedly by being involved in illegal recruitments, manipulating transfers and promotions, and trading in "fake currencies".

A man whose education was till eighth grade, Malek joined DGHS as a driver of a project in 1982. He had been working as a driver of director-general of DGHS before being arrested on Sunday.

A team of Rab arrested him from his Dakkhin Kamarpara residence in the capital. They seized a firearm, a magazine, five bullets, Tk 1.5 lakh in fake currency, a laptop and a mobile phone from his possession.

According to Rab, Malek has amassed wealth worth more than Tk 100 crore.

Malek was the president of the Health Directorate Drivers Association, sources at DGHS said, adding that he used the name of this association to exert his influence.

Malek is the owner of two seven-storied buildings in Dakkhin Kamarpara of Turag. There are 24 flats in the buildings named after his first wife Nargis Aktar. He used to live on the second floor of one of these buildings.

Apart from these, Malek also owns several plots in different parts of the capital. One of his buildings is under construction on a four-and-a-half katha land in Dhanmondi. He has a dairy farm on a 15-katha land in Dakkhin Kamarpara.

Sources said Malek not only manipulated the recruitments and promotions of DGHS officials, but he also managed jobs for his daughter, son-in-law, brother and nephew at the health directorate.

His youngest daughter Nourin Sultana Beli, brother Abdul Khalek and nephew Abdul Hakim are the office assistants at DGHS.

His son-in-law Ratan is a manager of DGHS canteen and another nephew is the driver of a DGHS official.

Sources said Malek even influenced the promotions and transfers of doctors at DGHS.

After arresting Malek, Rab held a press conference, where Lt Col Ashique Billah, director of Rab's legal and media wing, said Malek was a "reliable person" for DGHS high officials.

MALEK AND OTHERS ALSO UNDER ACC SCANNER

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) began an enquiry against Malek in 2019.

It has found that Malek owned four houses.

Upon the findings, on September 15, the ACC asked Malek and his wife to submit their wealth statements to unearth their sources of income.

Yesterday, ACC's Secretary Dilwar Bakth said the commission has been carrying out enquiries against 45 officials and staffers of DGHS, including Malek, since 2019.

Of them, 12 have already been facing graft cases filed by the ACC, he said.

"During the primary investigation, the ACC has found Malek owns four houses," he said.

The ACC Secretary said they would file a case against Malek if he is found to have amassed wealth beyond his known sources of income.

WEALTH STATEMENT SUBMISSION NOTICE

In separate letters signed by ACC's Director Sayed Iqbal Hossain, notices were issued against 20 people, including 12 officers and staffers at DGHS, on September 15.

Recipients of the notices are accountant of Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) Mujibul Haque Munshi and his wife Rifat Aktar, data entry operator of EPI Tofael Ahmed Bhuiyan and his wife Khadiza Aktar, DGHS driver Malek and his wife Nargis Begum, administrative officer of 250-Bed General Hospital of Gopalganj Obaidur Rahman and his wife Bilkich Rahman, staff nurse of Faridpur Medical College Rehena Aktar, accountant of Rangpur Medical College Hosptial Imdadul Haque and his wife Umme Ruman Fency, administrative officer of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Mahmuduzzaman and his wife Sabina Yeasmin, store officer of Shahid Tajuddin Medical College Hospital Nazim Uddin and his wife Feroza Begum, office assistant of DGHS Kamrul Hasan and his wife Dr Umme Habiba and stenographer of Sheikh Sayera Khatun Medical College Saiful Islam, assistant chief statistics officer of Barishal Divisional Health Office Mir Raihan Ali and accountant of Rajshahi Medical College Hosptial Anwar Hossain.

They were asked to submit the wealth statements of themselves and their dependents within 21 working days after receiving the notice.