Photo: Collected-
Masum Hossain-
A tender called for the lease of different haat-bazaars in Shajahanpur Upazila of Bogura disappeared despite being submitted in the box. In this incident, a case has been filed against Nuruzzaman, the Awami League-backed chairman of Majhira Union Parishad of the upazila and leader of the Swecchasebok League.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saida Khanam confirmed the news on Saturday afternoon. A case was filed at Shajahanpur police station on Friday night by UNO office employee Mujahidul Islam.
The tenders were submitted in the box on the table with members of law enforcement, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), and AC (Land) present. At that time, UP Chairman and General Secretary of Upazila Swecchasebok League Nuruzzaman allegedly removed a tender from there. Though a tender was returned after half an hour of this incident, it cannot be said whether it was the lost one.
According to the Upazila administration sources, the Upazila Parishad invited tenders for leasing 22 haat-bazaars of Shajahanpur upazila on February 12. 188 tenders were sold within the specified period. Among them, 116 tenders were sold from Shajahanpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s office, 60 from District Commissioner’s office, 3 from AC (Land) office, 7 from Shajahanpur Thana, and 2 more from Sonali Bank. Only 31 tenders were submitted in the box from 10 am to 2 pm on Thursday. In between, two tenders were submitted for the Jamadarpukur haat in the Upazila. The haat will be leased to the highest valid bidder within three working days.
The box for submission of tenders being opened in the auditorium of the Upazila Parishad on Thursday afternoon, Nuruzzaman reportedly removed a tender submitted for Jamadarpukur. Then he gave the tender to Upazila Swecchasebok League President AKM Ziaul Haque Jewel. Jewel went away from the upazila parishad with the tender. Two tenders were submitted for the Jamadarpukur haat. One of the submitters is District Swecchasebok League President Sajedur Rahman Shaheen, and the other is Alhaj Sheikh. Nuruzzaman and Jewel are followers of District Swecchasebok League President Shaheen.
When asked, Alhaj Sheikh, who submitted the tender for the lease of Jamadarpukur haat, said, “I submitted a tender of Tk 45 lakh 51 thousand in the name of my company M/s Sheikh Enterprises for the haat. I have also submitted a pay order of Tk 22 lakhs. Apart from me, another person also submitted a tender for the Jamadarpukur haat. But after opening the tender box, mine was removed. I submitted the highest bid for that haat.”
On condition of anonymity, one eyewitness said, “Nuruzzaman removed the tender even with UNO present. However, no legal action was taken against him at that time. Because of this, Nuruzzaman got a chance to run away.”
Asked, UNO Saida Khanam said UP Chairman Nuruzzaman of Majhira upazila stole a tender. A case has been filed against him.
She also said that tenders would be called again for the Jamadapukur haat. Also, as no bids were submitted for five more haats, they will be invited again.
When asked, OC Abdul Quader Jilani, Shajahanpur Police Station, said that a case had been registered in this regard. An operation is underway to arrest the accused.
