The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges formed a three-member high-level committee to investigate the allocation of flats on government land to secretaries and other government officials at a low price, sources concerned said.
The committee is headed by Ehsanul Haque, Senior Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division. The other two members are the Secretaries of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
The order forming the committee was issued on Sunday following a report published by Prothom Alo. The committee was asked to submit its findings within 15 working days.
According to ministry sources, in addition to forming the inquiry committee, the ministry’s adviser, Fouzul Kabir Khan, has instructed the Bridge Division to suspend construction and handover activities related to the flat project.
He also directed the authorities to inform all individuals allocated flats about the government’s current steps. The Bridge Division was also asked to submit a separate report within three working days regarding the allocation process for secretaries and officials.
The adviser said that further steps would be taken after receiving both the internal report from the Bridge Division and the full investigation report.
According to the sources, the committee will investigate the process, criteria, and identities of the flat recipients, determine whether any irregularities occurred, and identify those responsible. It will also verify whether any of the allottees have previously received land or flats from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) or the National Housing Authority.
The flats in question are being constructed on 1.15 acres of land, taken from a 40-acre plot originally purchased under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement to house people displaced by the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project. Four buildings are being built for government officials and staff, three for secretaries and senior bureaucrats, comprising 168 flats, of which 140 have already been allocated. The remaining flats are reportedly being reserved for future distribution among secretaries and officials. The fourth building, with 112 flats, is reserved for Bridge Authority staff.
These buildings are located in Uttara Model Town (Phase III), in the Diabari area. Secretaries who were members of the Bridge Authority’s board at various times have received flats there, including many influential bureaucrats from previous Awami League administrations. A total of 32 individuals holding the rank of secretary or equivalent have received flats. Of them, four are currently in service, two have taken post-retirement contractual positions with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on behalf of the government, and the rest have retired. Besides secretaries, flats were also allocated to additional secretaries, joint secretaries, and deputy secretaries.
Even close associates and personal staff of former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader received these highly subsidised flats. Many of the officials who received flats while serving as secretaries already own plots allotted by RAJUK, effectively receiving both land and flats while holding public office.
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project, launched in 2010, aims to construct an elevated highway from the airport to Qutubkhali in Jatrabari. The project is still ongoing.