Staff Reporter :
A high official of Public Works Department (PWD) has been made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for his alleged link with the government-listed top contractor GK Shamim, now remanded in custody.
But sources alleged that he was made ‘scapegoat’ for covering corrupt conducts of some top ranking PWD officials.
Utpal Kumar Dey, PWD’s Dhaka metro zone Additional Chief Engineer, was made OSD and attached to its headquarters following an office order issued by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works on Tuesday.
Sources said that Utpal has been made OSD (reserve) to save PWD’s high officials who indulged corruption in awarding a key government construction project to GK Builders, owned by self-proclaimed Juba League leader GK Shamim.
The company had in recent days bagged about 20 large government construction contracts involving more than Tk 2,500 crore as it controlled the tendering process of all contracts of the PWD by exerting Shamim’s undue influence and bribery.
Sources said that Utpal was charged with taking bribes for awarding the said government construction contract to GK Builders. Interestingly, he was not involved in the tender process when the contract was awarded to the company.
PWD’s Additional Chief Engineer Dr Mainul Islam was involved in the tender process of the particular project.
Documents showed that the tender of the project was invited on June 5 last year and Dr Moinul Islam was the Chairman of the tender evaluation and settlement committee at that time.
According to the prevailing rules, tender of any government’s construction project should be invited at the PWD’s Dhaka Circle-1 office and it should be evaluated from the then Dhaka Circle-3 office.
The said project was under the jurisdiction of PWD’s Dhaka Circle-3 office. But the tender of the project was invited directly from the PWD’s headquarters in collusion with some former and present high-ranked PWD officials violating the rules, only to realise commission from the GK Builders.
Sources said that Utpal Kumar Dey took charge as PWD’s Dhaka metro zone Additional Chief Engineer on August 28 last year. The tender of the said project was awarded to the GK Builders much before he took the responsibility.
M Shahadat Hossain, Chief Engineer of PWD could not be reached for comments.
When contacted, Utpal Kumar Dey said, “I am not involved with any misdeed. The allegation brought against me is false. It also tarnished my image at work and social status. A proper investigation will help dig out the real truth. I have full trust with our honourable Minister, who will investigate the matter and punish the real culprits.”
