Gazi Anowar :
Shamim Akhtar, the chief engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), has been accused of multiple misconducts, including the awarding of tenders to close associates through favoritism and the misuse of facilities from agencies under the Ministry of Housing and PWD. Despite these serious allegations, his position remains unchanged.
Prior to his role as Chief Engineer, Shamim Akhtar served as the Director General of the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI), where he was reportedly involved in multiple instances of irregularities.
An investigative report submitted to the Ministry of Housing and PWD outlines 14 specific allegations against him, including financial and administrative misconduct, favouring loyal contractors in tenders, hiring a project consultant under questionable circumstances, and engaging in nepotism in staff appointments, such as engineers, cooks, and gardeners.
An HBRI inquiry committee uncovered evidence of Shamim Akhtar’s involvement in providing undue benefits to loyal associates during his tenure as Director General.
The PWD, a critical department responsible for the development of government infrastructure, has reportedly been adversely affected by Shamim Akhtar’s inefficiency, nepotism, and alleged corruption over the past two years. It is claimed that these issues have disrupted the department’s chain of command and led to irregularities in project execution.
The HBRI investigation report, submitted on 13 July 2023, highlights that during Shamim Akhtar’s tenure, a significant portion of work was awarded to Kingdom Builders Limited. Payments were allegedly made without the final completion of projects, and no equipment or facilities were handed over to the institution.
Of the six projects awarded to Kingdom Builders, two notable examples include construction of a steel shed for a block-making plant and supply of block mould-making equipment (Tender ID No: 367591) which estimated value is Tk 70 lakh and erection and commissioning of an automatic block-making plant (Tender ID No: 501916) valued estimated for Tk 83.14 lakh. An additional Tk 18 lakh was reportedly paid without proper work orders or contracts for these projects.
The investigation revealed that fake stamps were used to sign and submit contracts fraudulently against work supposedly completed in 2019. When contacted for comment, Shamim Akhtar did not respond to calls or messages, including an inquiry report sent to him via WhatsApp.
In addition to his professional role, Shamim Akhtar is known as the ‘Peer Saheb’ of Hakimabad Khanka-i-Mojaddedia in Bhuigarh, Narayanganj, under the title Pir-e-Allama Hazrat Mohammad Shamim Akhtar (Maddazilluhul Aaliyah). The Khanka reportedly has branches across Bangladesh and in Cambodia.
