PWD not to probe into GK Shamim’s alleged tender manipulation

The housing ministry or public works department is not investigating the alleged tender manipulation done by the PWD officials for awarding contracts to the detained contractor and also Juba League leader SM Golam Kibria Shamim, one of the government-listed top contractors popularly known as GK Shamim.

The housing ministry secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker and PWD chief engineer Md Shahadat Hossain on Wednesday separately told New Age that they were not investigating nor had any plan to probe the involvement of the retired or serving PWD officials in helping Shamim, owner of construction firm GK Builders, win tenders.

‘We are not probing into the matter as agencies are grilling Shamim on the issue and investigating involvements of others,’ Shahid Ullah said.

Shahadat Hossain further added that the agency had no authority to investigate roles of retired officials such as former PWD chief engineer Rafiqul Islam and its former additional chief engineer Abdul Hye.

‘If the investigating agencies request us to take any action we will comply as we did in the case of Dhaka metro zone additional chief engineer Utpal Kumar Dey on Tuesday by withdrawing him to the PWD head office,’ he said.

The National Board of Revenue, however, on Monday asked all banks operating in the country to freeze the bank accounts of Utpal and his wife, officials said.

The Central Intelligence Cell of NBR also sought information pertaining to transactions in all types of accounts in banks and financial institutions carried out by Utpal and his wife, they said.

The CIC will scrutinise all transactions, their tax files and other assets to find out whether they were hiding any assets and incomes in the tax files.

Earlier, the NBR asked the banks to provide account details of the two retired PWD officials. The agency directed the banks to freeze the bank accounts and give details of Shamim, his wife and mother as well as three more Juba League and Awami League leaders.

Shamim’s firm got work orders to build RAB headquarters building, Cabinet Division building, National Revenue Board building and at least six major public hospitals in the capital allegedly by bribing government officials and Awami League leaders.

On Friday, the Rapid Action Battalion, in a daylong drive, arrested top government contractor and Awami Juba League leader SM Golam Kibria Shamim along with his seven bodyguards from his construction firm in the capital’s Niketan area.

The housing ministry and Rajdhani Unyayan Kartripakkhya had earlier investigated corruption conducted by former Rajuk officials, including the retired chairman Humayun Khadem, during the illegal expansion of the FR Tower in Banani and also sought the president’s permission for framing charges against them.

Housing minister SM Rezaul Karim could not be contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday ruled out any manipulation of electronic tendering system by detained Juba League leader SM Golam Kibria Shamim.

Mustafa Kamal was speaking to reporters after a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs at the ministry.     

GK Shamim was arrested on September 19 with Tk 165 crore fixed deposit receipt and Tk 1.8 crore in cash and foreign currencies. He is now in police custody.

It was reported that the engineer took bribes from GK Builders’ owner Shamim, for awarding government construction works.     

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net