Ashuganj upazila Awami League President Shafiullah Mia is alleged to have been building jetty at a launch terminal on the Meghna River, ignoring a court order.
An investigation found that the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) had leased out the launch terminal to Md Mesbah Uddin, but Shafiullah Mia is using his political clout to undertake illegal construction projects at the terminal, to satisfy his business interests.
The construction work has hindered the transportation of goods through the landing station, said Md Mesbah Uddin, the lessee.
He added that a Brahmanbaria court had issued a stay on further construction.
Shafiullah Mia claimed that the consultation firm, Conveyor Logistic Ltd, advised him to build the jetty to facilitate the transportation of goods.
“I also talked to rice traders about this matter,” he said.
Refuting the allegations against him, Safiullah said: “The jetty is being constructed for temporary purposes.”
Managing Director of Conveyor Logistic Ltd Md Kabir Ahmed refused to talk over phone about this matter.
Dewan Aminul Islam, an accountant from the company’s procurement department, said, “We made an application to the BIWTC to use the landing station. I am not sure whether the permission was given by the authorities concerned.”
Deputy Director of Ashuganj BIWTC Md Alamgir Kabir said he did not know whether the authorities had given permission to construct the jetty.
