Alleged tender fraud sparks investigation

An alleged fraud has surfaced in a Department of Disaster Management project, where a contractor attempted to win a tender using a fake domain linked to a non-existent company. The fabricated website enabled the firm to secure preliminary approval.

In response, the department formed a five-member investigation committee chaired by a Joint Secretary. 

Established on 6 May, the committee was instructed to submit a report within seven working days. However, by 18 May, no meeting had taken place, and the report remained pending.

The accused contractor, Messrs. Sorkar Kabir Ahmed, sought to supply three heavy cranes under Tender ID 1060917. Their proposed brand, "Lihotra," has a website displaying only one crane brochure matching the tender specifications. Further investigation found no credible online presence for the brand, sparking concerns that the website may have been created solely for this tender.

Despite a lack of response from committee chair Nahid Sultana Mallik, DDM sources cited delays in departmental nominations, with the first committee meeting now scheduled for Monday.