Upazila Executive Officer Accused of Siphoning BDT 6 Million Without Conducting Union Council Repairs

Serious allegations of financial corruption and embezzlement have surfaced against the Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) of Haluaghat in Mymensingh, over the alleged withdrawal of BDT 6 million without undertaking any physical repair works across six Union Council buildings. The funds were allocated by the Local Government Division for the 2025–2026 financial year for the maintenance and structural conservation of the Kaichapur, Dhara, Dhurail, Gazirbhita, Jugli, and Swadeshi Union Parishad complexes.

Documents indicate that BDT 1 million was earmarked for each of the six Union Parishad facilities, with project completion mandated by 30 June. Although official paper trails and bill submissions falsely claimed 100 per cent physical progress, field visits and testimonies from administrative staff confirm that no repair work was carried out. At Kaichapur, for instance, structural plaster continues to peel off ceilings, and similar decay remains unaddressed at Dhara, Dhurail, and Gazirbhita, where roof leakages and dysfunctional sanitation facilities persist. Local administrative officers and panel chairmen across these councils expressed complete ignorance regarding any executed works or fund disbursements.

The local Upazila Accounts Office confirmed that BDT 6 million was formally drawn from Sonali Bank following standard billing documentation. When questioned about the discrepancy, Ismail Hossain, Sub-Assistant Engineer at the Haluaghat office of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), initially claimed that works were underway before shifting his statement to claim that contractors had merely been appointed.

Defending the transaction, Haluaghat UNO Faisal Ahmed stated that due to tight deadlines, permission was obtained from the ministry to execute the projects offline via Request for Quotation (RFQ), adding that three contractors were awarded the tenders. Ahmed assured that if contractors had failed to initiate site work, formal warning letters would be issued immediately. Meanwhile, Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md. Saifur Rahman emphasized that even if advance bills were drawn under exceptional rules, projects must be completed within the stipulated financial year, confirming that a official inquiry will be launched to investigate the allegations.