NARAIL, Dec 12: An allegation of embezzlement of Tk 16 lakh has been raised against the executive engineer of the Directorate of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) in repairing of municipality treatment plant and drain in the district.
By omitting the assessment and certification of the Sadar Upazila Engineer of the DPHE and forging the certification of the Municipal Council, he embezzled this money without working in connivance with the contractor.
Though it has already been audited twice, the matter of embezzlement of the Narail Municipality's work fund was kept hidden from the authorities. At present, the matter has been talk of the town.
GM Ehsanul Haque, deputy assistant engineer of the DPHE- Sadar Upazila, said, on June 22, 2022, Executive Engineer of the DPHE- Narail SM Abu Saleh signed an agreement of Tk 16,19,606.25 with Anisa Enterprises; according to the terms of the tender, Anisa Enterprises agreed to repair the Narail Treatment Plant and Drain by June 30, 2022 within eight days; but Engineer Abu Saleh paid the bill to Anisa Enterprise without the work in violation of the terms of the tender.
The executive engineer has done such work by avoiding the eyes of all the officials of his office, he added.
He further said, the rule should be that the upazila officer would prepare the bill, and the executive engineer will pay the bill or not after verification.
Sonia Akhtar, cashier of the DPHE- Narail, said, "Under the direction of Sir, I submitted the bill, and it went to him. He wrote the check. My chair work ended here. I have no engineering part. Bill comes to me, and I submit it."
Ratan Kumar Das, pump driver of Narail Municipality, said, the water pump has been stopped for a long time; and no repairing work has been done to the drain.
Sushant Kumar Nag of Accounts Department-Water Branch of the municipality, said, they have not provided any certificate; and, it is a type of forgery.
When contacted, DPHE Executive Engineer SM Abu Saleh said, "It may be irregularity, but not corruption. The higher authorities concerned are aware of this."
