Shahidul Islam Shahid :
Local AL leaders, including MPs, and its front organizations, through syndicated maneuverings have reportedly been taken control of most of the cattle markets in Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, discouraging genuine traders from participating in auction biddings under duress and thereby causing huge revenue losses to the local government bodies.
While leaders of the AL and its front organisations are involved in ‘cattle market trade’ across the country, some MPs of Jatiya Party (Ershad) are allegedly doing the same business in greater Rangpur district, sources alleged on Tuesday. In a number of cases, local leaders backed by the MPs, won the auction-biddings of cattle markets at a lesser price than the amount of money that had been quoted last year (2013). They captured the markets through syndicated bidding of the auctions. Besides, those elements have been selling shares of the markets among locals, including traders, at a higher price, which begins from Taka 10,000 to Taka 50,000 per share.
The illegal practices are affecting local government Instituions (LGIs) that include City Corporations, District Councils, Municipalities and Upazila (sub-district) Council across the country, the sources complaint while talking to The New Nation yesterday separately.
In the capital-Dhaka Metropolitan City-there are 18 temporarry pre-Eid-ul-Azha cattle markets. Of the number 11 markets are under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) while seven in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) areas.
Through syndicated biddings, five of the seven cattle markets under DNCC were taken by local leaders of the AL and its youth front-Bangladesh Awami Juba League (BAJL)-according to the prices they had quoted as per consensus arrived at among themselves after consultation.
The Chief Property Officer of the DNCC Aminul Islam, who furnished the names of those taken lease of cattle markets, said, “There were no illegal practice in leasing out of the markets. All biddings were completed following proper procedures.”
The political identity of those taken lease of the markets could be collected from local partymen, who pleaded not to disclose their names, while talking to this Correspondent.
In DNCC area, the Eastern Housing temporary cattle market could only be taken by a non-party trader named Lutfar Rahman. He is also the lease-winner of the Dhaka Metropolitan City’s (DMCs) lone permanent cattle market-Gabtali Cattle market. It is widely believed in Mirpur area that Lutfar Rahman has won the Eastern housing market’s bid at Taka 3.30 million as he enjoys blessing of the local MP Elias Uddin Mollah of the AL.
When contacted, Elias Uddin Mollah defended the partymen’s involvement in the temporary cattle market leasing trade and said, “through selling of shares of the cattle markets some political activists will have some earnings.”
“Besides, temporary employment could be generated for many young men of Mirpur area through this,” he said, asserting that nothing illegal had been done through this.
Uttara thana AL Organising Secretary Afsar Uddin Khan won the Uttara Cattle Market, situated at sector no. 11 at Taka 10 million auction while, the Uttara sector no. 13 temporary cattle market was capture by thana AL’s Finance Secretary Md Shafiqul.
BAJL’s Central Committee’s Organising Secretary has taken markets of Agargaon area at a price of Taka 27.86 million. Bhatara Union AL Vice-President Nazrul Islam Dhali took the Baridhara Cattle Market paying Taka 8.15 million while, Karail unit General Secretary Faruque Raja captured market at Banani Railway Maidan.
The Khilkhet market could not be leased out due low priced-bidding. This market was leased out to Salam & Bothers last year (2013) at Taka 10.72 million. But this year, the highest bidder quoted only Taka 7.2 million by Mizanur Rahman, who is the Organising Secretary of Khilkhet Ward AL.
Like the DNCC area, the temporary cattle market of DSCC area’s also witnessing low-priced biddings as per compromise arrived among leaders of the AL and its front organisations.
Of the 11 cattle markets in DSCC area five could not be leased out due to low-priced biddings. There will be re-tender for these markets, which include markets at Jigatala-Hazarbagh, Golapbagh, Lalbagh Haji Delowar Hossain Field, North Shahjahan Pur and Kamrangir Char.
