Allegations of bribes and irregularities have surfaced in a Power Development Board (PDB) project at Sadar upazila in Gaibandha.
The bribe allegations are that the project was expanded outside the town area illegally and in exchange for bribes.
The irregularities allegations are that the town area should get priority as per the project, but it was not followed.
Gaibandha Nagarik Andolon convenor Mirza Hasan told the Dhaka Tribune that there were still live wires that are supported on the bamboo poles at many places in the municipality, posing a danger to people and other animals.
Even, there is no power supply in the extended parts of the municipality, he said, adding that he was now at a loss to understand why the project was expanded in the rural area when such conditions exist in the town itself.
This correspondent recently visited the rural areas where power lines were distributed under the project in the district and heard of bribery behind expanding the power lines in the rural area.
Former member of Ramchandrapur Union Najibor Rahman told this correspondent that some Tk1 lakh had to be paid as bribe for power lines through Khejurteili village. Komoronnoi village’s inhabitant Abdul Hai said they, the villagers, had given about Tk3 lakh as bribe for power supply in the village.
Businessman Shahjahan Mia, who lives at Hashembazar village, said he and his villagers had given around Tk1 lakh for taking power lines through their village. He claimed to be one of those who had given bribe for power connections in the village.
Fulchhari upazila Awami League unit General Secretary Selim Parvez said around Tk1.5 lakh had to be paid as bribe to have 10 power poles built from Kanchipara Union’s rice mill to Mondolparah in the upazila.
When PDB’s Gaibandha Executive Engineer Zulker Nain Shafi was asked about all these allegations, he said: “I heard about this, but none has yet filed any complaint in this regard.”
The project rules lay down that the town area must be given priority but this was not followed here. Rather, the rural area was given priority, ignoring its needful implementation in the municipality, he said.
Sub-Assistant Engineer Matiar Rahman, who is in charge of implementing the project in the district, said there had been no exchange of bribes for expanding power lines in the rural area. He added that the project was expanded in the rural area as per its rules.
When Rangpur Regional Executive Engineer Lufar Haider Chowdhury was asked about this all, he only said power lines had been expanded beyond the town area as per the project. Besides, there were demi-official letters from very important persons for expanding and overhauling power lines in the area.
