Fake bills made for unfinished job, says probe report

A few construction firms withdrew Tk 1.32 crore through preparing fake bills with the connivance of officials against construction works of four health centres in Bogra and Sirajganj districts from 2003 to 2005.
The office of the chief engineer of Construction Management and Maintenance Unit (CMMU) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed the matter after an investigation led by Anwar Ali, executive engineer of CMMU, Bogra office.
He started the investigation on August 17 and submitted the report on September 29. The CMMU, Bogra office sent a copy of the report to Dhaka office next day.
"Former executive engineer in Bogra ASM Saidul Alam signed the fake bills prepared by the contractors who did not complete the assigned work," Shah Md Hannan, superintending engineer of Bogra, said quoting the investigation report.
Contacted over cell phone on October 3, ASM Saidul Alam, however, denied the allegation, saying, "Some CMMU officials prepared the false report to harass me."
According to an estimate prepared by the local CMMU office following instruction of the chief engineer, Tk 3.48 crore would be needed to complete the remaining works of the incomplete health centres, said sources of CMMU Bogra office.
Kit-way Pack started construction work of Santahar 20-bed hospital at an estimated cost of Tk 3.33 crore on January 14, 2005, in Adamdighi upazila of Bogra district. The contractor withdrew Tk 2.73 crore against the bills of 80 percent construction work whereas the firm completed 60 percent of the total work and left the construction work about five years ago, says the investigation report submitted by Anwar Ali.
CMMU now needs Tk 3 crore to complete the construction work of the hospital, CMMU Bogra office sources said.
M/S Azad construction withdrew an amount of Tk 4.32 crore, 98 percent of total amount mentioned in the work order, although it had completed 80 percent of the construction work of Aliarhat 20-bed hospital in Shibganj upazila of Bogra district.
CMMU further selected M/S Kabir Traders as contractors and paid more than Tk 45 lakh for the remaining work. But, the department again estimated Tk 20 lakh to complete rest of 20 percent works. M/S Azad construction started the work on March 7, 2005. CMMU chief engineer's office sources said at least Tk 50 lakh were misappropriated through preparing fake bills.
Another contractor, M/S Md Azizul Islam withdrew Tk 34.47 lakh for 'total construction' of Gunahar Union Health Centre in Dupchanchia upazila of Bogra district but the firm had completed only 70 percent of the work.
CMMU official paid the construction firm an additional amount of Tk 2.4 lakh against the work order amount without assigning any reason, sources said.
The contractor started the construction work on July 23 in 2003 and left the work about five years ago after withdrawing total work order amount, goes the investigation report.
Now the department needs Tk 14.99 lakh to complete the remaining works, according to the recent estimate.
M/S Abdul Wahab Sarker withdrew about Tk 30 lakh as the bill for 90 percent construction work of Brammagachha union health centre in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj district.
But the contractor, who started the construction work on July 23 in 2003, completed only 75 percent of the total work and left the site about five years ago. According to the estimate, the department needs Tk 13.61 lakh to complete the work.