Gazipur City Corp engineers restored as graft allegation not proven ‘beyond doubt’

The chief executive officer (CEO) of Gazipur City Corporation has reappointed two engineers almost 1.5 months after the state minister suspended them over corruption allegations.

On 23 March, Mir Shahe Alam, state minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, suspended Superintending Engineer AKM Harunur Rashid and Executive Engineer AHM Shamchur Rahman Mahmood after a probe found initial proofs of negligence, misconduct and corruption against them in connection with a road construction project.

On 11 May, the City Corporation issued an order withdrawing the suspensions and restoring their job status, saying the final probe could not find sufficient evidence to implicate them beyond doubt.

The probe, however, found negligence on part of the accused and alerted them against repetition in future government projects.

The concerned newly constructed road is located on the banks of the Turag River in Dhananjaykhali area of the city.

On 15 February, a section of the road collapsed 15-feet below the surface even before the inauguration, causing panic and anxiety among locals.

Media reports on the incident drew the attention of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and he instructed the concerned ministry to address the issue.

As a result, on 23 March, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam visited the area. He ordered the suspension of engineers Harunur Rashid and Shamchur Rahman. At the time, Mir Shahe Alam told reporters that the initial probe report found the use of substandard construction materials and the “effect of natural disasters.”

He also instructed the formation of a seven-member high-level probe committee, and required it to submit a comprehensive report within 15 days.

Gazipur City Corporation CEO Muhammad Sohel Hasan told reporters that the two alleged engineers were suspended midway into the probe on orders from the state minister. Later, upon completion of the probe, the city officials informed the ministry of their “innocence,” and the ministry allowed their reappointment, Sohel told reporters.

Sohel also said that Executive Engineer Shamchur Rahman was serving in a different role during the concerned road’s construction works, and was appointed to his current post after the project completion.

Superintending Engineer Harunur Rashid said the appointed contractor worked on the damaged part of the road after the expiry of the project deadline. The city authorities were not “aware of this,” he said as he used the statement to justify his innocence.