Reza Mahmud :
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has invited tenders for makeshift cattle markets to be set up ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, but a group of vested quarter is blocking parties from buying tender for most of these markets to hold their control on them.
On June 27, DSCC floated tenders for 13 temporary cattle markets setting the bid submission deadline by July 10.
A total of 18 potential bidders participated in the bids for six cattle markets. But nobody submitted bid for the seven other cattle markets, officials said.
They alleged a business syndicate prevented the prospective bidders to submit tenders for those cattle markets forming an unholy nexus with a section of corporation’s officials.
“We have invited tenders for 13 temporary cattle markets in DSCC areas ahead of Eid-ul-Azha on June 27. But, no tender has been dropped against seven sacrificial animals markets in the last date in July 10. We have published re- tender invitation for those markets. We hope businessmen will drop tenders for those markets in second or third times scheduled for July19 and if needed up to July 30,” Md. Abdul Malek, Deputy Secretary and the Chief Estate Officer of DSCC told The New Nation on Wednesday.
The DSCC failed to get any tender proposals for the cattle markets including open space adjacent to Meradia Bazar, Balur Math of Brothers Union, open spaces around Kamalapur Stadium, open spaces adjacent to Armanitola playground, open spaces adjacent to Dhupkhola East End Club play ground, open spaces adjacent to Dhonia College ground and Sadek Hossain Khoka playground.
Officials and ward councillors alleged that a section of dishonest officials of DSCC have forged informal syndicate with businessmen to retain control over these market and earn illegal money from those markets.
They said, the DSCC may not get tender proposals from businessmen for those temporary cattle markets.
They blamed a former official for the situation. In last year, a responsible official of DSCC was involved to make the businessmen reluctant to buy and drop any tender schedule for those seven cattle markets.
Then the city corporation authority had leased those markets on daily basis and the vested quarter exploited the offer.
According to the rules of the city corporation, it can give such markets on temporary lease under supervision of city corporation’s officials.
But in such case, the corporation needs sufficient numbers of employees to run such a markets.
Officials said the DSCC has no sufficient workforce to operate a sacrificial animals market.
But a section of dishonest officials leased out six cattle markets last year on daily basis with active support of a senior official, who reportedly share the financial benefit later.
Officials of the corporation said preferring anonymity, that the former city corporation official with support of other dishonest persons inside and out side the corporation and resorting to such tactics to earn huge amount of money by leasing out those markets on day basis.
The money goes to influential political leaders and musclemen of those areas who operate from behind the syndicate to stop real businessmen from buying and dropping tender schedules.
Officials and councillors of DSCC fear such an incident may take place again in this year.
If such incident takes place again it will hamper the interest of city corporation but local party men and dishonest officials of those areas will make huge illegal money out of it, the sources said.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has invited tenders for makeshift cattle markets to be set up ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, but a group of vested quarter is blocking parties from buying tender for most of these markets to hold their control on them.
On June 27, DSCC floated tenders for 13 temporary cattle markets setting the bid submission deadline by July 10.
A total of 18 potential bidders participated in the bids for six cattle markets. But nobody submitted bid for the seven other cattle markets, officials said.
They alleged a business syndicate prevented the prospective bidders to submit tenders for those cattle markets forming an unholy nexus with a section of corporation’s officials.
“We have invited tenders for 13 temporary cattle markets in DSCC areas ahead of Eid-ul-Azha on June 27. But, no tender has been dropped against seven sacrificial animals markets in the last date in July 10. We have published re- tender invitation for those markets. We hope businessmen will drop tenders for those markets in second or third times scheduled for July19 and if needed up to July 30,” Md. Abdul Malek, Deputy Secretary and the Chief Estate Officer of DSCC told The New Nation on Wednesday.
The DSCC failed to get any tender proposals for the cattle markets including open space adjacent to Meradia Bazar, Balur Math of Brothers Union, open spaces around Kamalapur Stadium, open spaces adjacent to Armanitola playground, open spaces adjacent to Dhupkhola East End Club play ground, open spaces adjacent to Dhonia College ground and Sadek Hossain Khoka playground.
Officials and ward councillors alleged that a section of dishonest officials of DSCC have forged informal syndicate with businessmen to retain control over these market and earn illegal money from those markets.
They said, the DSCC may not get tender proposals from businessmen for those temporary cattle markets.
They blamed a former official for the situation. In last year, a responsible official of DSCC was involved to make the businessmen reluctant to buy and drop any tender schedule for those seven cattle markets.
Then the city corporation authority had leased those markets on daily basis and the vested quarter exploited the offer.
According to the rules of the city corporation, it can give such markets on temporary lease under supervision of city corporation’s officials.
But in such case, the corporation needs sufficient numbers of employees to run such a markets.
Officials said the DSCC has no sufficient workforce to operate a sacrificial animals market.
But a section of dishonest officials leased out six cattle markets last year on daily basis with active support of a senior official, who reportedly share the financial benefit later.
Officials of the corporation said preferring anonymity, that the former city corporation official with support of other dishonest persons inside and out side the corporation and resorting to such tactics to earn huge amount of money by leasing out those markets on day basis.
The money goes to influential political leaders and musclemen of those areas who operate from behind the syndicate to stop real businessmen from buying and dropping tender schedules.
Officials and councillors of DSCC fear such an incident may take place again in this year.
If such incident takes place again it will hamper the interest of city corporation but local party men and dishonest officials of those areas will make huge illegal money out of it, the sources said.
