Allegations of office occupation in the name of business against ARO Jalal
A customs official has been accused of occupying an office by renting it in the name of business. For a long time, he has been occupying a floor of about 4,000 square feet in the Agrabad area of the city. He has taken the owner of Pragati Bhavan at the Barik Building intersection of the city hostage and is neither paying the rent nor releasing it. As a result, the owner is facing financial losses. Accused Jalal Uddin Mia is working as an Assistant Revenue Officer (ARO) at the Sylhet Customs Excise and VAT Commissionerate office.
It is known that Jalal established a company called ‘Bio Science and Nutrition Limited’, a cattle food laboratory, in 2019. He rented a large floor in the most expensive commercial area of Chittagong for 5 years and completed the decoration of the office. He appointed office officials and employees. Jalal’s uncle Mohammad Mizan was made the managing director of Air Science and Nutrition Limited. But when problems arose between the uncle and nephew at the beginning, the hiring and firing of officials and employees continued. Between the hiring and firing of people, the name of the organization was changed to ‘Muskal’. A signboard with the name ‘Muskal’ can now be seen in that office.
The owner said that the contract period has expired but he is not leaving the office. A lot of money has accumulated in arrears of rent and he is not paying it either. As a result, the floor cannot be rented to anyone else. He does not maintain regular contact.
Sources say that Jalal Uddin Mia was working as an ARO at the Chittagong Customs House from July 1, 1917 to November 4, 2020. He was transferred from Chittagong to Khulna and from there to Sylhet. Although he worked in Sylhet, he lives in the capital Dhaka with his family. In addition to his personal flat in Dhaka, he has several businesses and assets in Chittagong.
Although Jalal, a resident of Faridpur, is an assistant revenue officer, he has used his acquaintance with influential circles through his job at customs. He has used Awami League leaders and business leaders, who were friends of the escaped dictatorship, when necessary. Besides, he has also made professionally powerful officials partners. Realizing his deception and dishonest intentions, most of them have left him. After August 5, he has been showing his power to BNP leaders by introducing himself as BNP.
Sylhet Customs Excise and VAT Commissionerate Commissioner Md. Tasnimur Rahman tells our time, there is no opportunity for a government employee to have a personal job or business. However, he is not aware of the personal affairs of ARO Jalal Uddin Mia.
When asked, Jalal Uddin Mia told our time that he wanted to start a new business with money. But for various reasons, it could not be started. The necessary equipment for LAN has been installed in the office. However, due to complications, he is unable to start the business. As a result, he is unable to leave the office. Regarding occupying the office without paying rent, he said, there is a financial crisis now due to lack of investors, so he cannot pay the rent. In response to the question of why he is not leaving the office, he said, since he cannot sell the equipment, he cannot leave the office. I want to start the business.
