Staff Correspondent

Allegations have found that construction work on the transmission line project—meant to connect electricity generated from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) to the national grid is moving forward without providing compensation to affected individuals.

At the same time, serious allegations of multi-billion-taka irregularities and corruption have been brought against the Indian contracting firm Transtrel Lighting Limited and its Bangladesh Country Director Amrik Singh.

A formal written complaint has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) detailing irregularities across project financial management, compensation for land and trees, construction quality, and tax payments.

Following the complaint, the most critical questions have become: how much total money was allocated for compensation in the project, how much has been disbursed, and how much has actually reached legitimate victims? Experts believe these questions can only be answered by auditing the project's complete financial documents and compensation distribution lists.

According to government sources, construction is underway on approximately 464 kilometers of 400 kV transmission lines to transmit power from the Rooppur plant to the national grid. To expedite implementation, the project has been divided into several packages. These include the 102 km Rooppur-Bogra line, 144 km Rooppur-Gopalganj line, 147 km Rooppur-Dhaka line, and 51 km Aminbazar-Kaliakair line.

Important transmission infrastructure is also being constructed separately for river crossings, including roughly six kilometers for the Padma River crossing and seven kilometers for the Jamuna River crossing. Similarly, under the 230 kV transmission line project, key segments include the 60 km Rooppur-Baghabari line and the 145 km Rooppur-Dhamrai line.

Relevant sources from the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh PLC (PGCBC) note that several large Indian contracting firms are working on various transmission projects across the country, with Transtrel Lighting Limited, Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), and KEC International Limited being the most notable.

According to the complaint submitted to the ACC, numerous people suffered losses due to land use and tree felling during the construction of the roughly 82.5-kilometer transmission line from Tangail to Dhamrai. Complainants claim that although landowners and tree owners were promised compensation, many have yet to receive any funds.

The complaint specifically names several affected individuals, including Fulchan, Md. Nabi, Suma Aktar, and Aduri. The complainants state that hundreds of people have similarly been deprived of compensation money.

Affected individuals report that while assurances of compensation were given at the start of work, the construction of transmission lines and towers has in many cases reached or neared completion without their rightful payments being fulfilled.

The most crucial issue now centers on the accounting of compensation funds. Disclosing information regarding total allocations, disbursed amounts, the channels used for distribution, and the exact count of compensated individuals could reveal the true picture behind the allegations.

The complaint also highlights issues of inadequate compensation for land utilization. Local victims claim that although their land was used for transmission tower construction, uncertainty remains regarding whether they will receive compensation. They allege that despite data being collected on land and trees, no clear information was provided on when and how compensation money would be disbursed.

In addition to compensation issues, the ACC complaint questions the technical quality of the transmission towers. Complainants allege that in some areas, piling was done at depths shallower than required, and instances of substandard rods and insufficient cement were used.

However, verifying these claims requires inspecting approved project designs, bills of quantities, piling records, and material test results. Experts view technical quality assessments as vital for transmission line construction linked to nationally critical power infrastructure.

Various sources within Power Grid Bangladesh alleged widespread irregularities across various operations of the Indian contractor Transtrel Lighting Limited. One source claims that project financial management and transactions are questionable, with accusations that massive sums of money have been laundered out of Bangladesh. Nonetheless, confirming these allegations requires investigating banking transactions, foreign payments, and project financial records.

Timely completion of transmission infrastructure is critical for integrating Rooppur power into the national grid. PGCB officials state that if transmission lines and necessary grid infrastructure are not ready, electricity cannot be supplied to the national grid even if the power plant is ready for generation.

Various published documents from Power Grid Bangladesh list Transtrel Lighting Limited as a contractor for multiple power transmission projects in the country. Government documentation, including environmental and social management plans for the project, also notes the firm's involvement. PGCB’s annual report for the 2024–25 fiscal year mentions Transtrel as a contractor for a related project, detailing physical and financial progress and setting a scheduled completion date of September 2026.

The ACC complaint further claims that Transtrel secured project contracts during the previous regime through political influence and commissions, asserting that company officials maintained close ties with influential figures of the former government. Independent investigations are necessary to confirm allegations of political favoritism or commission-based procurement.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated that corruption allegations in nationally important, high-budget projects demand serious investigation. He noted that project cost escalations and opaque financial management can create avenues for corruption, making transparency and accountability essential in such initiatives.

This nationally vital project involves massive public and foreign funds while directly tying the integration of Rooppur nuclear electricity to its transmission infrastructure. Consequently, the allegations surrounding Transtrel extend beyond mere corruption; they touch upon the proper use of state funds, the rightful entitlements of affected citizens, construction quality, and the security of critical national power infrastructure.

Experts emphasized that an independent probe must prioritize a complete accounting of the compensation fund—specifically, how much was allocated, how much was disbursed, and how much actually reached the hands of true victims. Unveiling these figures may provide answers to the most pressing questions surrounding the allegations against Transtrel.