The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against five individuals, including two former vice-chancellors of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR), over alleged corruption and irregularities in a special development project worth over Tk 30 crore.
The accused are former vice-chancellors Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah and AKM Nur-un-Nabi, former executive engineer and project tender evaluation committee member secretary Md Jahangir Alam, contractors Md Abdus Salam Bacchu, and MM Habibur Rahman.
ACC Director General Md Akter Hossain confirmed the matter during a press briefing at the ACC Headquarter at Segunbagicha in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The accused, acting in collusion, abused their official capacity by unlawfully altering the design of the approved Development Project Proposal (DPP) and signing contracts without obtaining necessary approvals from the relevant ministry or division.
The case document further alleges that part of the security deposit, deducted from the contractor’s bill, was placed as a Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) in a bank, which was subsequently used by the contractor as loan collateral.
This decision, according to the ACC, caused financial losses amounting to approximately Tk4 crore to the university and the government.
Moreover, the accused reportedly issued an advance payment to the contractor via bank guarantee, despite the contract explicitly prohibiting such payments. The guarantee was released before the project’s full payment was cleared, in breach of financial protocols.
The ACC also noted irregularities in the appointment of a second consulting firm, which was engaged without adhering to proper procedures or taking into account the initial consultant’s design, violating governmental procurement regulations.
The ACC DG further investigations are ongoing and that appropriate legal measures will be pursued based on the evidence gathered.