Widespread corruption cripples building construction of Shipping Department
Staff Reporter :
Widespread corruptions and irregularities have crippled 11 storied building construction work of the Department of Shipping (DoS) in the capital’s Agargaon area.
This correspondent with other reporters has been visited recently in the project site and confirmed the matter.
They found that the work was progressing very slowly.
Sources of the department alleged that the project related officials including its Project Director (PD) have involved with huge corruptions and irregularities which was the main reason of delaying its construction work.
Besides, they have continuously delayed the construction work only for do more corruptions and increasing tenure and allotment of the project.
Replying to queries from the journalists, the Director General (DG) of the department acknowledged the matter of irregularities and corruption of the project related officials.
But refusing the allegations, PD of the project said that he has no involvement with any irregularities or corruptions.
Sources said, the ‘Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and Integrated Maritime Navigation System (EGIMNS)’ project started on January, 2014 with Korean loan assistance and GoB funding.
As per the plan, the project of constructing a 11 storied building would be commenced at December 29 in 2016 and had to complete in June 30 in 2021. But it failed to finish its work in due time even in the past nine years allegedly due to widespread irregularities.
The budget of the project was Tk 382 crore. Among those allocation, Korean loan assistance was the 70 per cent while the rest was from the government’s funding.
After nine years the budget of the project has increased to Tk 779 crore 49 lakh after hiking the allocations in three times and its tenure also increased by June 30 in 2024.
Officials said that the construction cost of the building fixed at Tk 40 crore for its ground floor to 8th floor.
It has to provide by Korea government through its Exim bank. Besides, the cost of constructing 9th to 11thh floors was fixed at Tk 10 crore which has to provide by government of Bangladesh from its own funding.
Korean company LG Samih is the main contractor of the project which has appointed several sub contractors including Baghdad Constructions.
It has been found in the investigations that the fittings of fire resisting system have several incompatibilities.
Even, the document of fire services which has been submitted to Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) was fake.
On May 7, Director of Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate Lt. Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury signed letter informed to DG of the Department of Shipping that they haven’t issued any certificate regarding this under construction building.
Officials said that power sub-station and generator house had been set beside which created serious risks of fire incident. Later those have been separated by spending addtional Tk over six lakh.
Commodore Md Nizamul Haque, Director General, of the Department of Shipping was present in the site during the journalists visit.
He showed in different floors to the journalist that there were maximum doors are made by plastics but as per the project plan those have to be wooden.
Besides, most of the materials including electric cables used in the building are low quality.
There were no Air-conditioners have been fitted.
Most of the work of the buildings incomplete but huge amount of taka has been spent.
The DG told journalists, “I have submitted written allegations against the Project Director, Abu Sayeed Md. Delwar Rahman about his financial irregularities.”
Meanwhile, Project Director, Abu Sayeed Md. Delwar Rahman contacted with several journalists saying he would give his comments on the issue but later he sent Deputy Project Director (DPD) Farhad Jalil Biplob to the journalists.
DPD Biplob told the journalists that the PD is ill now and there was no corruption in this project on behalf of the PD.
