Contractors in Kushtia staged a protest on Sunday demanding the removal of Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Executive Engineer Md Shahidul Islam over alleged corruption and irregularities in tenders worth nearly Tk30 crore.
They accused the engineer of favouring selected contractors in exchange for bribes amounting to 5–6 per cent of the tender value and submitted an eight-point memorandum to the deputy commissioner seeking an impartial investigation.
The contractors formed a human chain outside the DPHE office at Hospital More around 11 am, alleging that eligible contractors had been deprived of work through collusion, bribery and manipulation of the tender process.
According to the protesters, the Kushtia DPHE invited tenders worth nearly Tk30 crore in July for nine groups of work, including the construction of twin-pit toilets under eight groups and the installation of tube wells under another.
They alleged that Public Procurement Rules (PPR) were violated and contracts were awarded to preferred bidders in exchange for bribes of 5–6 per cent of the tender value.
The contractors claimed that notifications of award were issued only to bidders who met these demands. They also alleged that contract rates were disclosed to favoured contractors before the tender process, enabling the same individuals to secure multiple contracts.
Speaking at the protest, contractor Mahbub Hasan alleged that irregularities had persisted at the office for 17 years, with a particular group continuing to dominate its operations.
He claimed that the executive engineer favoured certain contractors, allowing individuals to secure two or three contracts, and demanded an impartial investigation.
Another contractor, Shariful Islam Tuhin, alleged that officials demanded money even for routine administrative work, including obtaining signatures on files and accessing work schedules.
He also claimed that the executive engineer refused to meet regular contractors while spending hours with selected individuals in his office. Tuhin said footage from the office’s closed-circuit television cameras could help verify the allegations.
Contractor Asad alleged widespread irregularities in the Tk30 crore project intended to improve public living conditions. He claimed that regular licensed contractors had been denied work while favoured bidders received advance information about contract rates.
Following the protest, a delegation submitted an eight-point memorandum to the Kushtia deputy commissioner. The memorandum called for an impartial investigation into the nine-group tender process initiated in July and verification of the alleged 5–6 per cent bribe payments.
It also sought a review of audit objections and records of alleged irregularities during Shahidul Islam’s previous posting at the Satkhira DPHE office, along with an examination of his digital attendance records.
The contractors further alleged that Shahidul Islam regularly arrived late at the office and often left before 3 pm. They also claimed that he had faced corruption allegations during his tenure in Satkhira.
Shahidul Islam could not be reached for comment despite repeated calls to his mobile phone.
