Staff Correspondent

Allegations have raised that a vested interest group is orchestrating a purposeful smear campaign and conspiracy against Md. Abdur Rashid Miah, the newly- appointed Chief Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

According to concerned officials, these activities are aimed at tarnishing the government's image and questioning a key administrative decision.

On March 24, 2024, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification appointing Abdur Rashid Miah as the Chief Engineer of LGED for a one-year term on a contractual basis. This appointment, made under Section 49 of the Government Service Act, 2018, was granted following the cancellation of his post-retirement leave (PRL). Prior to this role, he served as the Additional Chief Engineer (Human Resource Development, Quality Control, and Environment) at the department.
Orchestrated Propaganda
Several LGED engineers and officials have claimed that a specific circle became active immediately following the appointment of Abdur Rashid Miah who is widely regarded as an honest and competent officer.
It is alleged that a group associated with the current routine-duty Chief Engineer, Javed Karim, including his relatives, has been attempting to influence various media outlets with misleading information. Specifically, there are reports of old and baseless news stories being recirculated to create confusion within the administration and among the public.

Addressing the allegations, Md. Abdur Rashid Miah said, a vested interest group is spreading baseless and imaginary information to serve their own narrow interests. While the press is the fourth pillar of democracy, publishing unverified information not only damages my personal and professional reputation but also undermines the credibility of the media itself.

He further noted that creating such controversy around a vital state agency like LGED is akin to challenging the decisions of the government's policy-making level. Sources close to the Local Government Ministry indicated that high-ranking officials are also aggrieved by this targeted propaganda.

Md. Abdur Rashid Miah joined the then-Local Government Engineering Bureau (LGEB) as an Assistant Engineer in 1989 through the BCS. Over a career spanning 37 years, he has successfully held various significant positions, including
Upazila Engineer
Executive Engineer
Project Director
Superintending Engineer
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET) and later obtained a Master’s degree in Environmental Science.
General officers and employees of LGED have strongly condemned the conspiracy, emphasizing that such propaganda must stop to maintain the momentum of the country's ongoing development projects.