Government Officer Uses Calculator To Demand Bribes

A Video recording depicting the Debiganj Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) in Panchagarh demanding a 15 per cent financial kickback from government-funded social welfare development schemes has surfaced and circulated widely on the social media platform Facebook. The official under investigation, Babul Chandra Roy, was recorded utilizing a desktop calculator to compute exact bribery amounts from project chairmen and Union Parishad (UP) members representing various development initiatives.

The audiovisual footage, which lasts exactly 4 minutes and 48 seconds, reveals the Project Implementation Officer seated inside his formal government office handling administrative files. The official interacts directly with several Union Parishad members and project presidents, whose faces remain obscured throughout the duration of the recording.

Verbatim Transcript of the Recorded Office Encounter

During the documented interaction inside the Upazila office, Project Implementation Officer Babul Chandra Roy cross-references an allocation file and states to an attendee: “Member Saheb, your allocation is 8 tonnes of wheat, correct? Calculated at 40.” The project representative responds: “No, Sir, it is calculated at 32 thousand.”

The government officer then inputs the values into his calculator, declaring the specific financial computation aloud:

“Therefore, 32 multiplied by 8 equals 2 lakh 56 thousand. If you give 15 per cent, the amount comes to 38 thousand Taka.”

The Union Parishad member responds by contesting the high fee, stating: “So much, Sir! Please take a little less. 38 thousand Taka, Sir, there was no profit from the execution of the work.” In response, Babul Chandra Roy remarks: “Members never make a profit.” The representative answers: “Did you not inspect my project site, Sir? Look at the quality of work I performed.” The PIO replies: “Have you ever heard a member admit they made a profit? Tell me. I have been serving as a PIO for a long time, and no member has ever told me that they made a profit.” The representative adds: “There is immense political pressure regarding the work, Sir, and the general public also demands a high standard of work.” The officer answers: “I have stated my position, now if you have anything to say, speak.”

Secondary Financial Computations and Investigation Details

Following the first dispute, another project representative introduces an additional Test Relief (TR) venture, stating: “This uncle has a TR project.” The senior citizen adds: “Sir, I have a minor TR project.” The officer inquires about the total valuation, to which the man responds: “1 lakh 62 thousand.” The Project Implementation Officer executes a secondary computation on the calculator, stating: “Therefore, 1 lakh 62 multiplied by 15 per cent equals 24 thousand.”

The representative protests the sum, noting: “24 thousand Taka, Sir! We were barred from attending the Union Parishad for three and a half years. We execute 100 per cent of the physical work, Sir.” The PIO replies: “Listen, they did not allow you to enter the council before, and now you will not allow them to enter either; it is a mutual settlement.” The representative objects further, explaining: “How is it a settlement, Sir? We only have one and a half years remaining. The lost five years will not return; three and a half years are gone, and only one and a half remains.” The footage shows the officer utilizing the calculator to compute total commissions from both development grants.

An anonymous Union Parishad member from Debiganj Upazila confirmed the authenticity of the meeting to news agencies, stating that 8 to 10 project representatives were present in the PIO office six to seven days prior to the video’s online publication. The member noted that his own 120,000 Taka project was completed before the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, but the official intentionally delayed the final billing process until bribe negotiations concluded, with the official accepting between 5 per cent and 7 per cent from select individuals.

When contacted via telephone, Upazila Project Implementation Officer Babul Chandra Roy denied wrongdoing, claiming the calculations represented official distributions of Value Added Tax (VAT), Income Tax (IT), and construction labour costs, suggesting contractors who failed to complete projects were targeting his office.

Panchagarh District Collector and Deputy Commissioner (DC), Shukhria Parveen, confirmed via telephone that the administration has reviewed the footage and formally ordered the Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) to conduct a departmental investigation. Legal and administrative actions will be determined upon submission of the official investigation report.