Rangamati, July 9 (V7N) - The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has uncovered preliminary evidence of irregularities in a Tk 21-crore tender process involving the construction of male and female hostels at Rangamati Science and Technology University (RMSTU). A daylong enforcement operation was conducted on Tuesday, beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing into the night.

According to officials from the ACC’s Integrated District Office in Rangamati, the operation was launched in response to allegations of corruption in the tendering process for the hostel construction under the Education Engineering Department (EED). The investigation focused on potential misconduct in the awarding of contracts and falsification of documents by the parties involved.

The enforcement team, led by Assistant Director Ahmed Farhad Hossain, began the operation with a site inspection of the under-construction hostel buildings on the university campus. The team included the Executive Engineer of the EED Rangamati Office and two independent engineers from the Public Works Department.

During a review of documents at the EED’s Rangamati office, the ACC team found several inconsistencies in the tender records. These included suspected forgery in contractor experience certificates and falsified test reports submitted by the joint venture firms involved in the construction: Kashem Construction and Shubrankar Chowdhury Joint Venture.

The investigation was prompted by a formal complaint filed on April 29, 2025, by a competing contractor. The complaint alleged that Md. Ali Imam, Supervising Engineer of EED Chattogram Circle (Chairperson of the Tender Committee), and Bijok Chakma, Executive Engineer of EED Rangamati (Member Secretary), colluded to unfairly disqualify the complainant’s firm under Tender IDs 1053887 and 1053888. The complaint further stated that the work was wrongfully shown as "ongoing" under another contractor, Preeti Enterprise, thereby manipulating the bidding outcome.

The ACC confirmed that this operation followed media reports highlighting the alleged irregularities in the EED’s management of the tender process for four construction projects at RMSTU. The ACC’s Deputy Director in Rangamati, Zahid Kalam, confirmed to this reporter over the phone that the allegations were serious enough to merit immediate investigation.

Assistant Director Ahmed Farhad Hossain stated that the investigation team had found preliminary evidence of document forgery and abuse of power. The ACC is preparing a formal report based on its findings, which is expected to be submitted soon.

This development raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in government-funded construction projects in the education sector. The ACC’s ongoing efforts signal a broader push to ensure that public funds are used ethically and efficiently, especially in critical sectors such as higher education infrastructure.

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