Sohel Kanti Nath, Bandarban

Serious irregularities have been alleged in the transfer of Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose Lease under the control of the Bandarban Hill District Council. It has been alleged that these irregularities were committed in exchange for a large sum of money in collusion with the Hill District Council's computer operator Sujit Barua.

There are allegations that Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose was handed over to a second party before the legal lease expired. The legal leaseholder, Shaikyaching Marma, has suffered extreme financial losses. Although there are allegations of involvement of council employee Sujit Barua in various irregularities starting from the tender process, this time he has been accused of handing over the market to a second party, bypassing the legal leaseholder. However, District Council Chairman Thanjama Lusai said that he was not aware of this.

It is learnt that on October 31, 2022, during the tenure of the then Hill District Council Chairman, Kyashihla, the contractor Shaikyaching Marma got the lease of Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose for Tk 3.2 million through a tender. According to the agreement, the lease period was until November 1, 2027. In addition, it was supposed to pay Tk 6.27 million every year including VAT. It has been found that Shaikyaching Marma paid a total of Tk 2.5 million for four years until October 2026. But before the lease period expired, Sujite is accused of leasing the market to Thanchi BNP leader Mangshaimrai Marma for Tk 2.8 million.

The second agreement shows that the new lessee and BNP leader Mangshaimrai Marma deposited Tk 15 lakh as the first installment in a five-year agreement without a tender from April 1 this year to December 31, 2031. The remaining Tk 13 lakh 75 thousand was paid on December 1 this year. However, no notification, tender or tender process was followed in granting this lease. Sujit Barua has been accused of irregularities and corruption in the activities of every tender, including not only Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose, but also various gates and market sheds of the Zilla Parishad.

It has been found that no witness's name was found in the contract for Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose executed between Zilla Parishad Chairman Thanjama Lusai and lessee Mangshaimrai Marma. Not only is there no witness's name, there are also questions about whether any decision was taken in the Zilla Parishad's monthly meeting in this regard or whether any new tender process was completed.

On the other hand, the agreement signed between the previous lessee, Shaikyaching Marma, and the then Zilla Parishad Chairman, Kyashihla, clearly mentions the names of the witnesses, installment payment steps, and other conditions. Shaikyaching had been operating the market shed by paying the lease money step by step.

A member of the district council, who did not wish to be named, said that he was offered a financial transaction while leasing the land to someone other than Shaikyaching. However, he did not agree to it and instead questioned the irregularities in the matter.

Legal lessee Shaikyaching Marma alleged that Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose was secretly handed over to BNP leader Mangshaimrai Marma before the lease expired. Earlier, computer operator Sujit Barua pressured him to deposit Tk 10.50 lakh in the bank for two years as the due installment money.

Shaikyaching said that even after he deposited the third and fourth installments in the bank, the market was handed over to the second party before the lease period expired.

According to the lease rules, if a lessee fails to pay the lease amount as per the agreement, there is a provision to first give him a show cause notice. If he still does not pay the money, there is an opportunity to collect the dues through legal process and take further action. After the lease is cancelled, the matter is to be raised in the monthly meeting of the Zilla Parishad again, a decision is to be taken and the process of appointing a new lessee through tender or bidding is to be followed.

But there are allegations that none of these processes were followed in the case of Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose.

Shaikyaching Marma said that he had been operating the business under a lease as per the rules. But before the lease expired, the market was handed over to another person, bypassing him. He also alleged that Sujit Barua had repeatedly pressured him to deposit the two-year installments together.

Regarding the complaint, Sujit Barua said that the lessee, Shaikyaching Marma, was evicted because he had arrears in rent. He has failed to pay the lease amount as per the rules.

When asked about how the Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose lease was given without a tender, Sujit Barua angrily said, "The lease was given without a tender during the previous government's tenure, so the lease is being given without a tender now as well." At that time, he also said, "Whatever I do here, I will do within my power; my word will prevail."

When asked about this statement, Bandarban District Council Executive Officer Abul Mansur could not give a good answer and avoided the issue.

Hill District Council Chief Executive Officer Md. Nazrul Islam said that since a writ has been filed in the High Court regarding the matter, it will be resolved as per the court's instructions. If necessary, the activities of Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose may be stopped with the cooperation of the police. He declined to comment further.

In this regard, Thanjama Lusai, Chairman of the Bandarban Hill District Council, said that according to the government lease, Shaikyaching Marma is the legal lessee of Thanchi Bazar Multipurpose until October 2027.

He said, he does not know how the market was handed over to someone else while the lease was still in effect. Those who did this did not do it right. There is no opportunity to transfer government facilities like this without a lease or tender. The chairman of the district council also assured that the matter will be investigated and necessary action will be taken.