Govt probe finds AL MP Salam Murshedy occupied abandoned property in Gulshan by forgery

A probe committee, set up by the housing and public works ministry, has recently informed the High Court that Awami League lawmaker and former footballer Abdus Salam Murshedy occupied an abandoned property in Gulshan through forgery and built a luxury house there.

In its report, the committee recommended that the plots be brought back into the government's favour and action be taken against those involved in the fraud.

Murshedy, a Khulna-4 parliamentarian for the second time, took a lease from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in 1996 by abusing his power and fabricating false documents for two separate plots spanning one bigha and six kathas, on which he built a three-story luxury building and uses as a courtyard, according to the report.

The report mentions that taking a lease for 100 years is completely illegal because there is no provision allowing such a lease of abandoned property.

It further said that the occupied plot numbers 27-A and 27-B are located at the west corner of road numbers 103 and 104 in the Gulshan residential area. The present value of the property is more than Tk100 crore.

Following a writ petition moved in the public interest on 1 November 2022, the High Court issued a ruling asking the government authorities concerned to explain why their inaction against Murshedy for building a house after registering government property in his own name should not be declared illegal.

The court also directed Rajuk, the Public Works Department, and Murshedy to submit all the documents related to this property to the court within 10 days.

Prior to this directive, the housing and public works ministry had formed a committee at the request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to ascertain the actual status of the property.

Headed by Joint Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Habib of the housing and public works ministry, Rajuk Director (Administration) Muhammad Kamruzzaman and Jahura Khatun, deputy secretary of the housing and public works ministry are the other members of the committee.

In November 2022, the committee completely investigated the matter and said that the occupied plots are listed as abandoned property in the Bangladesh Gazette published on 23 September 1986.

The city survey carried out by the Urban Development Directorate of the public works and housing ministry has also mentioned the plots as abandoned properties.

The investigation report also stated that the housing and public works ministry had earlier rejected an application by one Maleka Rahman, saying that the property is included in the "B" list of abandoned properties and there is no scope for exemption.

This correspondent called Abdus Salam Murshedy for his comments on the probe report, but he did not pick up his phone. Then, a text message was sent, but there was no reply.

Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman of the Supreme Court filed the writ petition with the High Court, seeking a direction to investigate the entire matter of Murshedy's house.

The issue is pending with the High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat.

Lawyers said that Murshedy could not submit all the documents about the property to the HC bench according to the court order. On 23 January, the court set 30 January for the further hearing and order.