When city father becomes predator

Mohammad Ejaz was removed as Administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) less than a year after assuming office. Having taken charge on 12 February 2025, he was relieved of his duties on 9 February 2026.

During his tenure, he became embroiled in a series of controversies, including allegations of excessive spending from funds earmarked for public services, the hurried issuance of hundreds of tenders, and irregularities in the allocation of commercial premises. Various allegations and pieces of information that have emerged regarding these activities have raised serious questions about his administrative conduct.

One such case involves Sohel Rana, an Office Assistant-cum-Computer Typist at DNCC. Over time, he received financial assistance amounting to Tk405,000 from the Mayor’s Discretionary Fund (now the Administrator’s Discretionary Fund), citing reasons such as his marriage, Eid-ul-Azha expenses, his mother’s treatment, and his own medical treatment. Initially, he disclosed his official designation when applying for the funds, but later omitted his employment information. According to allegations, the person behind these allocations was former DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz.

Officials within DNCC claim that Sohel Rana was not the only employee to receive discretionary funds in this manner. They allege that numerous employees were granted money from the fund at Ejaz’s discretion, enabling him to build a loyal network within the corporation. According to several officials who spoke to the media, individuals who assisted him in various irregular and corrupt activities were among those who received such financial benefits.

Ejaz assumed office as Administrator on 12 February 2025 and was removed less than a year later, on 9 February 2026.

It is widely believed that Syeda Rizwana Hasan, then Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the interim government, played a key role in his appointment. At the time he took office, the Mayor’s Discretionary Fund held Tk844.67 million. During the first eight and a half months of the 2024–25 fiscal year, before his appointment, only Tk5.533 million had been spent from the fund. However, in the remaining three and a half months after Ejaz assumed office, expenditure from the fund surged to Tk21.14 million.

Three individuals served as head of DNCC during the 2024–25 fiscal year: Mayor Atiqul Islam, Administrator Mahmudul Hasan, and later Mohammad Ejaz. During the combined eight and a half months under Atiqul Islam and Mahmudul Hasan, average monthly spending from the discretionary fund stood at approximately Tk650,000.

Under Ejaz, however, monthly spending exceeded Tk6.04 million—almost ten times higher than before. During his eight months and twelve days in office in the 2025–26 fiscal year, he spent Tk72.2 million from the discretionary fund, the highest amount ever recorded.

An analysis of fund allocations shows that Ejaz distributed discretionary funds to 71 DNCC drivers. Among them, Abdul Halim, a driver assigned to the Administrator’s Office, received Tk50,000 for his daughter’s medical treatment. Twenty-one drivers received Tk20,000 each, while the remaining 49 received Tk30,000 each. Thirty-two staff members from the Mayor’s Office received Tk25,000 each, while 84 employees from various departments were granted between Tk15,000 and Tk25,000. All of them were already receiving regular salaries and bonuses from DNCC.

Employees from the Ministry of Local Government and even the Prime Minister’s Office were reportedly among those who received payments. Critics allege that Ejaz effectively depleted the discretionary fund by distributing Eid gifts and allowances.

Documents signed by Ejaz on 6 March 2025 show that Tk10,000 was allocated to one Abdus Samad for cancer treatment. The funds were reportedly collected on his behalf by his “son”, yet no name or identifying details of the son were recorded. Subsequently, another Tk10,000 was allocated to the same individual for kidney treatment, this time collected by his “uncle”, again without full identification.

Similarly, a person identified as Md Rifat Hawlader was granted Tk20,000 on the grounds that he had participated in the July anti-discrimination student movement. One of the mobile numbers provided in the application was inactive, while the other contained an invalid 12-digit number. In this case as well, the funds were reportedly withdrawn without proper identification.

Ejaz also allocated Tk100,000 to Maulana Khan Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique, founding president of the New Muslim Development Association. Another allocation of Tk50,000 was reportedly made to Abdus Sattar of Moulvirtek following a death in July. Attempts to contact the individual using the number listed in official records were unsuccessful.

Critics argue that the discretionary fund is intended for emergency assistance and that all recipients should be properly documented. Regulations require full details of beneficiaries to be recorded whenever assistance is provided. However, numerous cases allegedly involved incomplete or anonymous records.

Beyond the discretionary fund, Ejaz has also been accused of irregularly allocating 33 shops beside Banani Kitchen Market. Shop owners themselves have alleged that payments of between Tk500,000 and Tk700,000 were collected for each allocation. Ejaz denied the allegations, stating that the city corporation only collected rent and that the allocations had been made earlier. However, records indicate that the allocations had been cancelled and declared illegal during the tenure of former Mayor Atiqul Islam.

The controversies did not end there. In the two months preceding his removal, Ejaz approved 47 tenders between 11 December 2025 and 10 February 2026. Defending the move, he told the media: “The tenders were issued for development projects. I had already approved hundreds of tenders during the previous year.”

Current DNCC Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan has stated that he found only Tk250 million in the corporation’s funds upon taking office. Ejaz, however, claims that he left behind Tk12 billion in DNCC funds.

Responding to allegations regarding discretionary fund spending, Ejaz said: “No expenditure can be made without audit scrutiny. Funds were distributed only after applications were reviewed and verified.”

Nevertheless, allegations of indiscriminate spending of public-service funds, the hurried issuance of hundreds of tenders, irregular shop allocations and other controversial actions have continued to surround Ejaz’s tenure. Although he served for less than a year, many critics now refer to him as a “city-devouring city father”.

Rise to Power and Corruption Allegations

Investigations reveal that before joining DNCC, Ejaz served as chairman of an organisation called the River and Delta Research Centre. Following the fall of the Awami League government and the installation of the interim administration, his influence reportedly expanded under the patronage of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who is said to have favoured his appointment as DNCC Administrator.

Soon after assuming office, allegations of abuse of power and corruption began to emerge. Notably, he faced accusations of major financial irregularities in the leasing of the Mirpur-Gabtoli cattle market. Further allegations included abuse of authority in an e-rickshaw project, financial dealings involving temporary pavement stalls, and the construction and allocation of shops on parking space at the Taltola Super Market in Khilgaon in violation of regulations.

Against this backdrop, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) launched a formal inquiry into Ejaz on 27 November 2025. On 1 February this year, a court imposed a travel ban on him. Approximately one week later, on 9 February, he was removed from his position as DNCC Administrator.

Speaking to the media, urban planner Adil Muhammad Khan said the fact that the ACC initiated an inquiry while Ejaz was still in office was highly unusual.

“The ACC began investigating Mohammad Ejaz while he was still serving in office. That is rare. Therefore, the possibility of his involvement in corruption cannot simply be dismissed,” he said.

Regarding the use of discretionary funds, Khan added: “It is not normal for the entire fund to be exhausted. Even if we assume, for the sake of argument, that the money was distributed to disadvantaged people, complete beneficiary records—including copies of national identity cards—should have been retained. If that was not done, it inevitably raises concerns about corruption.”

He further stressed that the ACC should complete its investigation swiftly to prevent any interference and ensure that the inquiry proceeds impartially and objectively.

Source: Agamir Somoy