Staff Correspondent

Not in the capital Dhaka or the port city of Chittagong, he became a 'money crocodile' by working as an office assistant (Peon) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in the city of Satkhira.

The title of the child of a day laborer family has been erased by the rich businessman. At one time, there was no wealth apart from the house, but now he has built the largest shopping complex in Satkhira, a four-storey house, a business establishment and a huge fish enclosure, and has built hundreds of millions of rupees in names and names.

And when the locals started whispering about the source of these resources, they voluntarily resigned from their jobs to protect themselves.

The name of this very cunning person is Mahmudul Islam. The people of the area said that Mahmudul Pion, who passed the eighth standard, got 'Aladdin's lamp' by joining the job.

In recent times, when the commotion started with the illegal assets of the government officials, a distraught Mahmudul is planning to sell a shopping complex worth at least Tk 30 crores.

Meanwhile, ACC has received three complaints about his illegal assets, but no action has been taken so far. This information was found in Yugantar's search.

When asked, Mahmudul Islam said, 'The assets I have are shown in the income tax file. The wealth information of 100 million rupees is not correct, I have wealth of 40 lakh rupees.

When asked to know how the price of so many assets is only Tk 40 lakh after listing all the assets including houses, shopping complexes, business establishments, he said, "I have taken many assets with loans from the bank. I still owe at least five crore rupees to banks and financial institutions.

He could not give any answer to the question of how you took a loan of 5 crore rupees by mortgaging the assets of 40 lakh rupees.

In response to the question, did you voluntarily retire from your job and start business to cover up corruption, he said, "My wife already had some businesses in her name." And voluntary retirement to cover up corruption is not right. During my working life I have served in various places including National Revenue Board Head Office, Khulna, Satkhira. During Satkhira's stay, I retired from the job due to busyness in marrying off girls.'

It is learnt that Mahmudul Islam is the youngest among the 3 sons and 2 daughters of deceased Sheikh Tamez Uddin, a day laborer of Nawapara village in Tala Upazila of Satkhira. He used to work as a daily wage worker with his father. Joined the service as Office Assistant (Peon) under National Board of Revenue (NBR) in 1990s.

First he was in NBR head office. Then he was transferred to his own district Satkhira via Khulna, Kushtia. For more than a century he was working in the office of Excise Commissioner (Circle-13) (Income Tax Office) of Satkhira . There he befriended an Additional Deputy Commissioner and earned huge money illegally.

The story of his rise to prominence is even more incredible than Aladdin's wonderful lamp in the Arabian drama series Alif Laila. He voluntarily retired in 2017 after completing 25 years of service when criticism started in the area about his wealth management.

Mahmudul's wealth: The investigation revealed that Mahmudul has built a multi-storied shopping complex in the area adjacent to Palli Vidyut Road in Patkelghata, an important commercial center of Satkhira. In this building named 'Bandhan Shopping Complex' there are various types of businesses.

The state-of-the-art shopping mall established on 12 percent land was inaugurated in 2021. His investment in this sector including land and goods is at least 30 crore taka .

Alishan built a four-storey house on 9 percent of 47 plots next to Patkelghata Government Primary School. A paved pond has been built around the side of the house. In 17 percent of the places, that paved pond is known as a swimming pool by the people of the area. He has spent at least 20 crore rupees to buy land and build this house.

In the name of his wife Nachima Begum, he bought 17 percent of land in the most expensive Rajendrapur Mauza in Patkelghata market at 149 dag, 8.5 percent at 150 dag, 9 percent at 147 dag and 1 percent at 81 dag at Patkelghata intersection.

It is also known that the business establishment 'Urmi Enterprise' has been established in Panch Rasta Mor area of Patkelghata in the name of daughter Urmi. There are several freight trucks and brick kilns. There are allegations that he is involved in smuggling behind this organization. Besides, there is a few bighas of land in Baliadoha village in the name of Urmir.

The people of the area said that at one time in Nawapara village of Tentulia Union, the ancestral property of the Mahmuduls had nothing but a house. However, Mahmudul has claimed to get 8 bigha of land from his ancestors.

But currently there is information about his 20 bigha of fish enclosure, a godown for storing various goods and 8 bigha of agricultural land. Out of this, he bought 4 bigha of land in his own name from the local Siddique Mallick.

Residents are shocked to see Mahmudul's family's car model changing regularly. It is said that Mahmudul has a large amount of cash deposited in different banks and post offices in the name of Mahmudul, including savings certificates, FDRs.

Neighbors said Mahmudul and his family members lived a luxurious life. Mahmudul strengthened his position by marrying his daughter Urmi with the son of a local government party leader. His influence is now so great that no action has been taken against him despite a written complaint to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Complaints including evidence of his illegal assets have been submitted to the local office of the ACC several times.

A local resident said on condition of anonymity, "I have been harassed in various ways for writing about his corruption." I have submitted the complaint to the ACC several times along with all the documents highlighting his corruption. But for mysterious reasons ACC did not take any action. Although he is known to the local people as a corrupt person.