Kalapara (Patuakhali) Correspondent

Members of the same Union Parishad held a press conference at Kalapara in Patuakhali, highlighting various corruption and irregularities of UP Chairman of Dhulasar, including misappropriation of money by selling LGED's unused iron bridge.

Md Kabirul Islam Khalifa, 4 No. ward member of Dhulasar UP, read out a written statement at the press conference highlighting the corruption and irregularities of Dhulasar UP Chairman Hafez Abdur Rahim at 11 am on Saturday morning in Press Club Engineer Md Tauhidur Rahman (CIP) auditorium. At that time, except Nuruddin, general member of the Parishad and Molly Begum, member of reserved women's seat, 10 other members were present.

Kabirul Islam Khalifa said in a written speech at the press conference that the chairman embezzled the unused iron bridge built by LGED from the godown building of the Union Parishad to the paved road in front without the permission of the proper authorities for Tk 2, 20,000. Besides, during the 65-day sea fishing ban, the chairman is collecting Tk 200 per head for the distribution of special VGF rice allocated to 1748 fishermen in the name of transportation cost. He has already pocketed twelve thousand taka from Ward No. 8. He has not distributed rice among the fishermen so far due to non-payment of money from other wards.

It was also said in the press conference that since assuming office, he has been preparing and distributing the list of all government services and benefits of the social security program with the leaders and activists of Islamic Movement Bangladesh without holding any monthly meeting, ignoring the local government law, excluding the elected members of the council.

UP member Kabirul Islam Khalifa also said that UP Chairman Hafez Abdur Rahim refrained from hoisting the national flag, praying and discussing and holding black batch, commenting that it is impermissible to observe the National Day of Mourning on August 15, 2022. In the past, when such adverse comments of the chairman were published in the media, there was a storm of criticism. Apart from this, there are allegations against the chairman of embezzlement of money related to the construction of a mosque near to the Union Parishad, including embezzlement of millions of taka from various government development projects.

Dhulasar UP Chairman Hafez Abdur Rahim denied the allegations and said that they are lying against me because he did not allow the members to steal rice.