The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against Mahbub Ur Rahman Ruhel, former lawmaker for Chattogram-1 (Mirsarai) constituency, on charges of unlawfully occupying 154 decimals of Bangladesh Railway land beyond approved limits and embezzling over Tk1.12 crore in government revenue.
He has also been accused of constructing a factory on railway land and occupying land by filling up a pond. Tapsir Billah, deputy assistant director of the ACC, filed the case as plaintiff at the commission’s Integrated District Office, Chattogram-2, on Monday.
According to the ACC case statement, Mahbub Ur Rahman Ruhel submitted an application on 18 September 2016 seeking a long-term lease of 3.7564 acres of Bangladesh Railway land in Paschim Hinguli mouza under Mirsarai upazila to establish an eco-friendly factory for manufacturing cement, sand, and hollow blocks.
However, he allegedly took possession of the land and initiated the construction of structures prior to lease approval.
The case statement specifies that a 6,489-square-foot semi-pucca factory and a 990-square-foot two-storey office building were constructed on the land.
Additionally, he faces allegations of illegally occupying land leased to other individuals for agriculture and aquaculture, as well as filling up and occupying a pond under BS plot 5120.
An ACC inquiry revealed that in 2017, following directives from the then railway minister relaxing the land management policy, Gasmin Limited was granted an annual renewable lease for only 74 decimals of land from BS plot 5119.
Nevertheless, the ACC alleged that an additional 154 decimals of land beyond this approved allocation were occupied and used.
As per the case statement, a total of 2.28 acres (228 decimals) across BS plots 5119 and 5120 are being used for commercial purposes, featuring a factory, office room, mosque, ablution space, a large field for storing and drying blocks, and a water tank.
ACC calculations show that between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2025, a lease payment of Tk44,95,529, including VAT and income tax, was made against the approved 74 decimals of land.
However, the government was entitled to receive Tk1,57,31,646 against the 228 decimals actually under occupation.
Consequently, charges have been brought against him for embezzling Tk1,12,36,117 in government revenue by unlawfully occupying and using land beyond approved limits.
The ACC case statement mentioned that the case was instituted following approval from the commission’s head office, with procedural formalities during the inquiry and approval process accounting for a slight delay in filing.
The period of offence specified in the case statement spans from 26 December 2016 to 30 June 2025. Charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, mischief, and criminal trespass have been framed under Sections 409, 420, 427, and 447 of the Penal Code.
