Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, Cox’s Bazar

Matarbari Coal-powered Project is one of the mega projects of the government. Local Parliament Member Md Abul Kalam Azad along with central and local Awami League leaders, workers and 6 top officials have allegedly embezzled and looted more than 150 million taka through various irregularities and corruption in the implementation of this Matarbari Coal-powered Plant Project.

A source of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has confirmed the fact that these irregularities and corruption have been found. A team headed by Deputy Director of ACC Cox’s Bazar Coordination Office Subel Ahmed visited Matar Bari recently. It has been alleged for a long time that billions of rupees have been embezzled in the name of syndicated tender and commission trade in Matarbari coal-based power project and passing goods of various companies. Several officers and employees of the organization have recently written to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with information about specific complaints.

A copy of the complaint has also been sent to the Prime Minister’s office, the source said. In view of this, a letter was sent from the ACC head office to the Cox’s Bazar integrated district office on July 9, and on July 15, a two-member investigation committee headed by Subel Ahmed, deputy director of the Cox’s Bazar district office, was formed and the report was ordered to be submitted after completing the investigation. In light of this, Deputy Director Subel Ahmed visited the Matarbari Power Project on August 21.

According to the letter and ACC sources, Matarbari Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) MD Abdul Kalam Azad, Executive Director (Finance) Mohammad Shahid Ullah, Acting Chief Engineer Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Executive Engineer (Design) Md. Among the matters under investigation against Kamrul Islam, Assistant Security Officer Alfaz Uddin and DGM (Deputation) Matiur Rahman in the Matarbari Coal Based Thermal Power Project, 11 out of 16 work variations worth $140 million have been cleared without approval. But before giving variation to these works, the approval of the Ministry of Planning has to be taken.

Apart from this, variation of sand filling work in the township area of the project without the permission of the board and misappropriation of 68 crore rupees in the name of construction of concrete road instead of bitumen or pitch as per the contract, 21.6 million dollars were collected by selling scrap without auction without the permission of the board.

Loss of Tk 53 crore, misappropriation of Tk 8 crore 12 lakh in hiring of institutional development consultant, waste of Tk 4 crore by buying low -quality products from different countries instead of the country mentioned in the contract for purchase of machinery.

In total, the ACC has started an investigation soon after discovering the embezzlement and looting of around one hundred and fifty crore rupees through extensive irregularities and corruption in the construction of various facilities and roads and purchase of machinery and by giving this opportunity in the project, the local MP and political leaders have stolen crores of rupees by trading business and commission in the project, such information has emerged.

Deputy Director of Cox’s Bazar District Office, Subel Ahmed confirmed the fact of receiving the complaint and letter and said, after receiving the commission’s letter, we have started investigating the corruption and irregularities in the Matarbari Coal-based Thermal Power Project but for the sake of investigation it is not possible to say everything.

Multiple calls were made to CPGCBL Md Abdul Kalam Azad’s mobile phone to inquire about the complaint, but the phone was not received.

When Qutubdia’s former MP Ashek Ullah Rafiq was called on his mobile phone, it was switched off.