Zakir Azad, Cumilla

A case has been filed against three engineers, politicians, 20 contractor companies and 20/25 unidentified people of the Water Development Board for embezzling of Tk 19 crores. Advocate Muhammad Akhtar Hossain, President of the Cumilla South District Farmers' Union Association, filed the case as the plaintiff in the learned Senior Judicial Magistrate No. 9 Amli Court of Cumilla .

The learned Court directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the matter. The accused in the case are Golam Sarwar, former chairman of Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Upazila Parishad, former vice chairman Abdul Hai Bablu, Haji Abdur Rahim of Shibpur village, Sentu contractor of Jhowtola Farooq Chowdhury of Tulatali village, Salim chairman of Barpara UP, Abul Kashem chairman of Bagmara North, Chhatra League leader Shibpur. Tuhin of village, Ali Akkas member of Hareshpur village, Sohag of Barpara, Shahid of Bara Dharmapur, of Chandipur. Kashem, Shibpur district. Karim, Abul Kalam, Liton of Srinivas, Sujan Chandra Pal of South Vijaypur, Awami League leader Chandan Chakraborty, Chhatra League leader Madhav Vaishab, PS Mizanur Rahman of former Finance Minister, Abul Kalam of Bara Dharmapur, Cumilla Mahanagar Krishak League leader Junaid Shikder Tape, Sohag Chairman of Chowara Union, Pani Development Board, Cumilla Executive Engineer, Superintending Engineer, Chief Engineer, Contracting Company M/s Tie Stone of Jhowtala area of Cumilla city, M/s Water Development Corporation of Tomchambridge area, Anwar Hossain of Purbhura area of Burichong, M/s Helalshah Enterprise, M/s Khan & Brothers of Kangshnagar area, Sadar Dakshin Upazila Amanat Ullah of Madhyam Ashrafpur, Messrs. Ma Enterprise of Srivallabhpur, Messrs. Neeha Construction of Shaktala, Messrs. Shahid Ahmed Babul and Md. Khorshed Alam of Panchlaish, Chittagong, M/S Shahid Brothers of Dhaka, M/s. Saleh Ahmed of SSK Road area of Feni Y Messrs, Abul Kalam Azad of Sadar area, Messrs. Masuk Enterprise of Cumilla , builders Kausli Farakpur, Belmara, Kushtia, Messrs. Garibenewaz of Chittagong, Messrs. Chowdhury Traders of Kandirpara, Khulna, Messrs. Mojibur Rahman of Court Road area of Comilla, Messrs. Al Mamun Enterprise, Sadar Dakshin Upazila Bijaypur Murapara Alamin Rabbi, Md. Bappi and Abul Hashem including Apsatnama 20/25 people.

It is alleged in the case from 2013 to July 2024, a sum of Tk 19,68,30,000/- (Nineteen Crore Sixty Eight Lakh Thirty Thousand) was allocated for digging a total of 42 canals in Cumilla Sadar South and Nangalkot area, Sadar area.

The defendants in the case colluded with each other and embezzled Tk 19,68,30,000/- without digging the canal Due to non-digging of the canal, waterlogging of the crop lands in Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Upazila, Cumilla Sadar Upazila, Nangalkot Upazila has resulted in over 30,000 farmers including the plaintiffs and witnesses not being able to cultivate paddy and sow other vegetables and crops for the past 15 years.

As a result, the production of Aman paddy and rabi crops has been disrupted and the plaintiffs and witnesses have suffered a loss of around 500 crore taka to the farmers of the area. Advocate Muhammad Akhtar Hossain, the president of the organization, on behalf of the plaintiff Cumilla South District Farmers Sambay Oikya Parishad, said that the learned court has directed the PBI to conduct an investigation into the case.