Case filed against 2 addl DCs in Cox’s Bazar

A case has been filed against four people, including two Additional District Commissioners, over allegations of demanding bribe in Cox’s Bazar.

On Tuesday, Professor Akhtar Alam, convener of the district branch of the National Citizens Party (NCP), filed the case at the District and Sessions Judge Court. His lawyer Rafiqul Islam confirmed the matter.

The accused in the case are Additional District Commissioner (General) Imran Hossain Sajib, former Additional District Commissioner (Revenue) Nazim Uddin Ahmed, Land Acquisition Branch office assistant Anik De, and lower-grade assistant Mohammad Emran.

Lawyer Rafiqul Islam, representing Akhtar Alam, said that the accused government officials demanded approximately four and a half lakh taka in bribes at a rate of 10 percent against the release of money owed to Akhtar Alam.

However, District Commissioner Md. A. Mannan remarked that the allegations in the case are false. He said that there is a “dishonour” case between the plaintiff Akhtar Alam and a person named Chhaiyad Nur regarding land acquisition money. Due to legal complications, that money was not paid directly to Akhtar Alam.

The case complaint states that in 2019, Akhtar Alam lent 15 lakh taka to Chhaiyad Nur, a resident of Moheshkhali. Later, after failing to recover the money, he filed a case in court.

The court ordered Chhaiyad Nur to repay the money. But Chhaiyad Nur did not pay. Thereafter, an application was made to recover the dues from the money allocated in the name of Chhaiyad Nur at the Land Acquisition Branch of the district administration. The court later granted this application.

However, the accused in the case did not return this money to Professor Akhtar Alam. Instead, approximately four and a half lakh taka in bribe was demanded against this money.

Plaintiff Akhtar Alam said that there is a clear allegation of bribery in the withdrawal of compensation money from land acquisition. He has approached the court in the hope of justice.