Project Director’s contract cancelled, Raghavbowals also getting stuck.
AKM Maksudul Islam, the project director of the third terminal construction project at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, could not complete his term. His contractual appointment was cancelled last Sunday.
Initial investigation revealed corruption against him. Raghavbowals behind the scenes including former ministers and secretaries are also getting stuck with him.
Allegations of irregularities and corruption in the construction of the third terminal of the mega project Shahjalal Airport are not new. There are also various questions about the increase in the cost of the project. Although Project Director AKM Maksudul Islam had a hand in increasing the estimated cost of Tk 7,000 crore to Tk 22,000 crore, Raghavbowals played a role in it from behind. Since he was in an extramarital relationship with several members and secretaries, including state ministers and chairmen of parliamentary committees, the then Awami League government and the concerned department did not take any action against his infidelity and corruption. Moreover, his appointment contract term was extended time to time. Maqsudul Islam remained in that position by providing financial benefit and managing one after another in various ways.
The interim government, which assumed state power through the fall of the Awami League government in the mass uprising, considered the issue and formed a committee to investigate corruption. The CAA canceled, in an office order last Sunday, the appointment of the project director before his term completion. During initial investigation, important information on corruption was received about the concerned parties. Sources confirm that the former ministers, secretaries, and other backdoor conspirators are being implicated in this.
The order signed by the CAA Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Manjur Kabir Bhuiyan said that on February 12, Maqsudul Islam’s contractual appointment was extended for 1 year. However, it was decided to cancel his contract from Monday. Accordingly, his appointment was canceled one and a half months before the completion of the term.
Sources in CAA said that Maqsudul Islam retired from the post of CAA Supervising Engineer on December 30, 2021. Earlier, the ACC sent a letter seeking an account of the assets of Maksudul Islam and his dependents. ACC Director Syed Iqbal Hossain, in a notice asked him to submit detailed statement regarding all the immovable and movable properties acquired in his name and anonymously, liabilities, sources of income and their acquisition. Just after retirement, the then State Minister for Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali gave him a DO letter for contractual appointment as the project director of the third terminal. He also received the appointment. The consequence of which the investigation that had been initiated against him, slowly subsided. His term expired, after that again his contract is being extended.
According to sources close to the probe, the project tender purchase was marked with irregularity and corruption. The equipment and products of low quality were bought from various countries like South Korea and China. Thereafter, when the said products were put to investigation by the inspector, it came out that most of them were low quality goods and the same were ordered to be returned to their respective countries. Moreover, the said contractor, controlling the project incharge, imported a few more low-quality electric goods from South Korea. After examination, all such goods proved to be low quality and as such were returned. He has been accused of selling three major works of the Third Terminal project to another company instead of the designated contractor. The project director got several additional works done at the Third Terminal by some contractors of his choice bypassing the Japanese contractor. The cost of constructing a simple bridge to enter the Third Terminal from the VVIP road was estimated at 5.4 million taka. But its director so far has spent over 120 million taka on the favored contractor. Some important information regarding the unlimited irregularities going on in the construction of the Third Terminal was received by the investigation committee. They are being scrutinized.
Do Follow: greenbanglaonline24
