Public Park in Bogura: Embezzlement allegations raise against officials
Serious allegations of financial embezzlement have been raised against some officials of Bogura Municipality over the renovation of a public park built at the initiative of Tarique Rahman at Shakpala intersection in Bogura. The allegations have created widespread dissatisfaction and anger among local political leaders, conscious citizens, and residents. However, the municipality is reportedly trying to avoid the issue through various tactics without providing a clear explanation.
According to local sources, the park was established in 2002 through the personal initiative of Tarique Rahman. At that time, it was developed as a modern recreational facility with a pond, a lake, paved walkways, and several small structures. The park was once considered a popular recreational spot for locals. However, over the past 17 years during the tenure of the Awami League government, the park received no maintenance or renovation, gradually losing its beauty. Eventually, the area became overgrown with bushes, making it almost impossible to recognize it as a park.
Recently, a new initiative to renovate the park has sparked fresh discussions. It is alleged that although the land belongs entirely to the Roads and Highways Department, Bogura Municipality began renovation work without obtaining proper approval. This apparent disregard for rules and regulations has raised serious questions among different groups.
Officials from the Roads and Highways Department stated that although the municipality had sent a letter regarding the renovation, no approval has yet been received from higher authorities. According to them, carrying out such development work without proper permission is a violation of regulations. They also said that no development activity can be carried out on their land without informing and obtaining consent from the department.
Meanwhile, inconsistencies were found in the statements of Bogura Municipality’s Executive Engineer Wahidur Rahman. He claimed that the municipality has the authority to carry out development work within its jurisdiction. However, when asked about the project cost, he initially stated it was 2.1 million taka but later said that around 1.4 million taka worth of work had been completed so far. These conflicting statements have made the issue more questionable.
Although it was stated that the work was being carried out through a contractor, the owner of the contracting firm JAP Enterprise, Shamim Ullah, failed to provide clear details about the project. He only confirmed that the work was being conducted under his company’s name, raising concerns about transparency in the implementation process.
An official of the municipality, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the renovation is actually a cover for large-scale embezzlement. He claimed that work worth approximately 4.2 million taka has already been shown on paper, and there are plans to create multiple smaller projects to facilitate fund withdrawal. He further alleged that the work is being managed under the direct supervision and influence of the Executive Engineer and Town Planner Mehedi Hasan, using contractors as fronts.
Local residents also expressed similar concerns. They alleged that the quality of the work is poor, while the reported expenditure is significantly higher than the actual work done. Many believe that the lack of proper monitoring and transparency is encouraging such irregularities.
Concerned citizens have demanded an immediate and impartial investigation into the matter. They emphasized that if any irregularities, corruption, or abuse of power are found, those responsible must be brought under legal action. They also called for effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Bogura Municipal Administrator and Deputy Director of the Local Government Division, Razia Sultana, said that she had only recently taken charge of the position. According to her, there should be no scope for irregularities in the project, but since allegations have been raised, the matter will be investigated and necessary actions will be taken.
Following discussions on social media and reports in the media, State Minister for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mil Shah Alam, visited the park. He said that he had heard that one department had taken over work that belonged to another department. He warned that excessive enthusiasm should not lead to the misuse of government funds.
Responding to questions from journalists, he added that he has asked the Bogura District Administration to submit a report on the matter, and necessary action will be taken once the report is received.
