Mahbub Pial, Faridpur

A contractor was allegedly severely beaten and suffered a fractured arm for refusing to pay a bribe to clear an outstanding bill at Nagarkanda Municipality in Faridpur district.

The victim, Hasibul Hasan Abdullah, proprietor of Syeda Jahanara Enterprise, is currently undergoing treatment at Faridpur General Hospital.

Speaking from his hospital bed on Thursday night, Abdullah said his firm completed the construction of three RCC roads under the Infrastructure Development Project (IUIDP) at Nagarkanda Municipality in 2023. Although the bill was duly approved following the completion of the work, municipality officials have kept it stalled for the past eight months.

Abdullah alleged that Nagarkanda Municipality Administrative Officer Humayun Kabir demanded a 15 percent bribe to release the pending payment. Frustrated by the prolonged delay, Abdullah submitted a formal application regarding the matter and paid BDT 5 lakh to the official on August 10.

On August 12, Abdullah was called to Humayun Kabir’s office on the pretext of settling the bill. Upon arrival, the official allegedly demanded an additional BDT 5 lakh, warning that the bill would not be processed without the money.

When Abdullah refused to comply and insisted on pursuing legal channels to realize his dues, an altercation broke out. At one point, Humayun Kabir and his associate, Moslem Uddin, allegedly attacked Abdullah with a GI pipe, breaking his arm.

When contacted, Administrative Officer Humayun Kabir denied all allegations of bribery and assault. He claimed the bill was withheld because the construction work remained incomplete, acting under instructions from the municipal administrator and the UNO.

The injured contractor confirmed that he is in the process of filing a formal case with Nagarkanda Police Station regarding the assault.