Staff Correspondent

In the last five years, Dhaka North City Corporation's (DNCC) Nagar Bhaban has become an 'arena of corruption'. There was former mayor Atiqul Islam's 'family syndicate'. He made nephews and nieces advisers. His daughter was the DNCC's unpaid chief hit officer. He did not care about the rules in these appointments.

The sacked mayor of DNCC, Atiqul Islam, was arrested by the police from Mohakhali DOHS in the capital recently . During his tenure as mayor, he had given contract works to DNCC on commission. Transfers and promotions are also done in the same way. The recruiting business was going on. Several officials have been forced to leave the city building for not agreeing to the wrongful act.

After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, Atiqul went into hiding. After that, on the night of August 18, when he entered the city building, the locals gathered there after getting the news. He fled through the back door (fire exit) after seeing the situation. The next day he was dismissed and the government appointed an administrator in DNCC. Atiq's relatives are also on the run since then.

After the sudden death of the first mayor of DNCC, Atiqul Islam became the first mayor in the by-election. At the end of the term of that council, he was elected mayor again in 2020 as a candidate of Awami League. After that, this business leader became fully active in the political program of Awami League.

Family Syndicate

In 2022, Atiqul Islam appointed his nephew Imran Ahmed and brother-in-law Taufiq Ahmed as his advisers. A few days later his daughter Bushra Afrin became DNCC's Chief Hit Officer. He was given this appointment by an international development organization. On the advice of the Chief Heat Officer, DNCC planted trees in various islands to reduce the temperature in the city. About 2 crore rupees are spent on sprinkling water from cars (artificial rain) on some roads.

In 2023, Atiqul entrusted the implementation of greening project to Shakti Foundation. About Humaira Islam, founder and executive director of the company, his sister-in-law. Mayor's brother Tofazzal Hossain, nephew Imran and daughter Bushra Afrin were also associated with this organization. And Bhagane Tawfiq and APS Farid were responsible for sharing the contract work and collecting the commission. Wherever Atiqul went during his tenure as mayor, Tawfiq was his travel companion.

Irregularities in the road lighting project

50 thousand street lamps were brought from Europe to spread light in Dhaka at night. It was said that these lamps will save 50 percent of electricity. Even these modern lamps can be turned on and off through central supervision, and will automatically know if they are useless. The 10-year warranty of the lamps was the maintenance responsibility of the supplier for five years after installation. There was a condition in the contract to change any lamp if its light fell to 70 percent. But DNCC roads have finally seen low-quality CFL lamps. However, the price of two types of 48 thousand 812 lamps bought for 369 crore 14 lakh 32 thousand rupees has fallen to 38 thousand 500 rupees each. Within a month of planting, they begin to deteriorate. The supplier did not change. DNCC authorities have remained silent on this matter. Then it happened, the actual price of each lamp was actually 400 to 500 taka. A huge amount of money has been looted in this project.

Political programs for the welfare of slum dwellers

During his tenure as mayor, Atiqul was accused of looting money for slum development in the name of implementing Awami League's program. In the fiscal year 2022-23, it has been found that more than two and a half crores of slum development department has been looted in the name of some political programs.

On August 15, 2022, DNCC made pandals, gates and lighting on the occasion of the arrival of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Banani Cemetery.

The cost for this is shown to be around 50 lakhs. On the occasion of Sheikh Russell's birthday on September 9 of that year, the expenditure of about 10 lakh taka was shown in the same sector at the same place. On the occasion of the arrival of the Prime Minister on November 3 Jail Murder Day, DNCC showed an expenditure of Tk 10 lakh there. Moreover, on the occasion of the inauguration of the metro rail, an expenditure of Tk 41 lakh was shown. On the occasion of Victory Day, the cost of the reception ceremony of the freedom fighters' family was shown to be 40 lakh 30 thousand taka. On September 12 of that year, about Tk 50 lakh was spent on a five-star hotel to inform foreigners about the development activities of DNCC.

The annual banquet and corporation meeting cost Rs 65 lakh. All expenses are met from social welfare and slum development allocations.

Apart from this, Atiqul spent about Tk 70 lakh for lighting on various roads and about Tk 50 lakh for the inauguration of the elevated expressway on the occasion of the inauguration of the Padma Bridge. Allegedly, a large part of this money went into his pocket.

Transferred for non-cooperation in looting

On October 23, 2021, Atiqul Islam discussed the development activities and future plans of DNCC with journalists at a resort in Berai. 10 lakh rupees were spent in that meeting. But vouchers are made for 29 lakh rupees. Because he did not agree to sign the voucher, the then public relations officer Abul Bashar Md. Tajul Islam was transferred to Chittagong through the ministry.

On May 2, 2023, Atiqul Islam directed the then Supervising Engineer (Additional Duty) of the Traffic Engineering Circle, Arifur Rahman, to purchase goods worth Tk 49,86,000 directly from BTI Technology Company under Section 76(1) of Public Procurement Rules 2008.

Arifu broke the rules and did not implement this directive of the mayor, he was removed from that post. Show cause notices were issued alleging negligence, misconduct and inefficiency in four projects.

Later he was transferred to Gazipur. Arifur Rahman gave a written complaint in this regard to the Local Government Division after the political change in the country.