Forged letter appointing ex-Gazipur city official accused in Tk7500cr corruption case sparks controversy

Allegations have emerged that former Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Additional Chief Engineer Akbar Hossain was involved in forging an official letter claiming to appoint him to a two-year contract.

Akbar, a close aide of the banned Awami League leader and ex-Gazipur mayor Jahangir Alam, is already accused in a Tk7,500 crore corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The purported "DO letter" (semi-official correspondence) addressed to the local government minister has caused a stir within the city administration. An assistant from the memorandum branch has been summoned to explain the incident.

GCC Chief Executive Officer Md Sohel Hasan confirmed that the administrator did not issue such a letter after taking charge. He noted that the signature on the letter does not match the administrator's, though the memorandum number used belongs to the city corporation.

The assistant in question, Ashraf, told officials that Akbar Hossain had forced him to carry out the act.

The forged letter, dated 1 March, requested the administrator's signature to appoint Akbar Hossain on a two-year contract, citing the need for skilled officials to implement World Bank mega projects aimed at transforming Gazipur into a "Clean and Green City," following directives from the Prime Minister.

The letter stated that Akbar Hossain, who previously served as an Additional Chief Engineer and later assumed the responsibilities of Chief Engineer, was on PRL (post-retirement leave) from 1 November 2023 to 30 November 2024 and had formally retired on 30 November 2024.

It emphasised that Gazipur has had a long-standing vacancy in senior engineering positions and that Akbar Hossain had been deeply involved in developing, implementing, and monitoring the city's infrastructures and mega projects, including World Bank-funded waste and water management initiatives. The letter requested his appointment in the public interest to ensure skilled execution of these projects.

GCC officials allege that Akbar Hossain, a beneficiary of banned Awami League patronage, wielded near-absolute control over the corporation during Jahangir Alam's tenure, allegedly establishing strong corruption networks, collecting commissions from contractors, manipulating appointments and transfers, and interfering in tender processes.

GCC officials also noted that Akbar Hossain, a long-time trusted aide of former mayor Jahangir Alam, coordinated with other influential party-backed officials to manipulate tender files and favour selected contractors.

Although Akbar Hossain was due to retire on 31 December 2023, his PRL was extended, and he was given a one-year contract. However, after the caretaker government assumed office on 8 August 2024, the previous government's contract decision was cancelled. His earlier contract appointment was also revoked following the caretaker government's decision on 5 August 2024.

GCC Administrator Shawkat Hossain Sarkar said, "Since taking office, I have not recommended any contract appointments to the ministry. The signature is not mine. Some vested interests have used forgery to tarnish my reputation."