Contractors allege corruption by Rangamati LGED engineer
Contractors listed with Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) at a press conference yesterday brought allegations of bribery and serious corruption against the executive engineer of LGED in Rangamati office.
At the conference held at Cape Link Restaurant at Banarupa in the town, they demanded removal of Executive Engineer Md Sohrab Ali, who was transferred from the head office to Rangamati LGED office on January 1 this year.
"Works of different development projects worth around Tk 50 crore for which work orders were given months ago have remained in a deadlock situation over the last six months due to indifference and autocratic attitude of Executive Engineer Md Sohrab Ali," the contractors alleged in a written statement.
Works of a Guarder Bridge at an estimated cost of Tk 1.20 lakh at Ghonomor in Longudu upazila, construction of Chelchhara Primary School at an estimated cost of Tk 1.80 lakh, work of construction of Barkal upazila Sadar-Chhotohorina Bazar road at an estimated cost of Tk 1 crore and Asambasti-Rangapani road have remained suspended due to fund crisis, they said.
"The executive engineer did not ever write any letter to the head office for arrangement of funds for the ongoing schemes. Even, he often make harassment the contractors issuing letters to them unnecessarily in the pretext of showing weak or fault works of any projects sites to realise more 'percentage' (bribe money) from them," goes the written statement.
The contractors also alleged that Tk 8.5% from the total estimated amount of the work of any project has to be given through cheque to Md Sohrab Ali before he issues the cheque for a contractor's bill.
Contractors Jahangir Kamal, Moshiul Alam Humayun, Md Mostafa, Jamil, Mujib, Abu Taher and Sentu Sarker attended the press conference, among others.
Contacted, Md Sohrab Ali, executive engineer of Rangamati LGED office, refuted the allegations, saying, “Contractors who often put pressure on me to pay the bills before smooth completion of works, are now organising press conference against me and bringing fabricated and false allegations. You will see the real fact if you visit their project sites. How can I pay the final bill to a contractor who fails to complete his work?"
He refuted the allegation of realising 8.5% of the total estimated cost of any project as bribe for issuing the cheque for bills to the contractors.
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