Pabna, July 24 (V7N) – Contractors in Pabna held a protest on Thursday, accusing the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, Afsar Uddin, of commission-based corruption and favoritism in awarding contracts. The protest, which took place at the main gate of the Public Works Department at noon, was organized by contractor Raja Malitha.

During the protest, speakers alleged that Engineer Afsar Uddin had awarded a 16 lakh taka construction project for a special bungalow to M/S Anju Traders without following the tendering process. According to the protesters, construction materials had already been delivered to the site. They also claimed that the Chief Engineer routinely awarded contracts to his preferred contractors in exchange for a 5% commission.

The contractors further accused Afsar Uddin of creating internal conflicts between the Executive Engineers and the Chief Engineers at the Public Works Department. They allege that the Chief Engineer has amassed a fortune worth hundreds of millions of taka through these practices. Additionally, they accused him of secretly helping favored contractors from the Awami League by securing work through commission-based deals.

After the protest, the contractors marched through the Public Works Department campus, demanding the immediate removal of the accused Chief Engineer. More than 50 contractors, including Ripon Hossain, Arif Hossain, Sohel Rana, and Delwar Hossain, participated in the demonstration.

Executive Engineer Rashed Kabir commented on the issue, saying, “I was not in the office on Wednesday. During my absence, the Chief Engineer permitted a contractor to begin work without a tender or lottery process. This is beyond his authority. The work should be awarded through a proper tendering process or lottery.”

When contacted for comment, Engineer Afsar Uddin was unavailable at his office. His staff reported that he was unwell and currently in Dhaka. Attempts to reach him via phone were unsuccessful as his phone was turned off.

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