Rajshahi, Sep 12 (V7N) - Abu Saleh Mohammad Hasnat, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Poba, Rajshahi, has allegedly brought in his cousin from their village to manage construction projects worth nearly one crore BDT. Among these, 30 houses under the Ashrayan scheme are being built at a cost of BDT 9.15 million. Additionally, his cousin, Rajib Ronak, is handling the renovation of a dormitory and the Shilpakala Academy office. There are also reports of a bribe involving the use of bricks from a kiln in exchange for allowing a pond to be excavated at the same location.
 
According to responsible officials from the Upazila administration, the construction of these houses under the Ashrayan project does not involve contractors through a tender process. Instead, the Upazila administration executes the work via a project implementation committee. The UNO serves as the head of this committee, with the Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) acting as the member secretary. Other members are supposed to include the Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), the Upazila Engineer, and several other officials. However, UNO Abu Saleh Mohammad Hasnat is overseeing the work solely with his cousin, without involving the committee. Although construction is nearly complete, the project implementation committee has yet to hold a single meeting.
 
Sources reveal that 30 houses were previously built in the Kashiadanga area of Poba as part of the Ashrayan project. These tin-built houses had become uninhabitable, leading to the decision to replace them with brick structures. The Prime Minister’s Office funded the project, allocating BDT 305,000 per house. The construction began in June of the last fiscal year and is now almost finished, but complaints have surfaced regarding the poor quality of the work.
 
Local residents report that only a single rod is visible in the upper sections of the pillars, and the base, which should have been concreted, has not been done. There are fears that these pillars might collapse soon. Locals have also observed substandard construction and estimate that at least half of the allocated funds have been misappropriated. However, because Rajib Ronak, the UNO’s cousin, is in charge of the work, they feel intimidated and refrain from protesting.
 
Interviews with employees of the Upazila administration reveal that UNO Abu Saleh Mohammad Hasnat hails from Atrai Upazila in Naogaon. About a year ago, he was appointed as the UNO of Poba. Shortly after his appointment, he brought his cousin Rajib Ronak from the village. Ronak now resides in the UNO’s official residence on the Upazila campus, and the UNO has assigned all construction and renovation work to him.
 
Multiple officials and staff from the Upazila administration, who requested anonymity, stated that the bricks used for the 30 houses in the Kashiadanga Ashrayan project were obtained as a bribe. In exchange for allowing the owner of a brick kiln in Horiyan, Poba, to excavate three ponds, the UNO received bricks for the project. One of these ponds has already been illegally dug within the kiln. When contacted, the brick kiln owner, Md. Runu, declined to comment over the phone.
 
During an initial phone conversation using a false identity, Rajib Ronak admitted that he alone was responsible for overseeing the construction of the houses. Later, when his identity was revealed and he was asked further questions, he claimed that he was merely supervising the work while visiting his cousin. When questioned about the poor quality of the construction, Ronak said that officials should address the matter.
 
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