Mehedi Hasan, currently serving as a Sub-Assistant Engineer of the Education Engineering Department in Tazumuddin upazila and formerly posted in Borhanuddin upazila, has been accused of large-scale corruption involving school infrastructure projects.
According to sources, Mehedi Hasan allegedly colluded with contractors to withdraw funds for school building projects that were never completed—or in some cases, never even started. Despite this, he certified the work as completed, enabling full payment to contractors. In return, he reportedly received large sums of money, amassing a fortune worth several crores of taka.
One such incident occurred at Paschim Kachia Ratanpur Secondary School under a project for building renovations. Though only a small portion of the work—reportedly a bicycle shed worth Tk 4.7 lakh—was done, the full amount was withdrawn through falsified documentation. Headmaster Abul Kashem signed the handover documents under pressure, later claiming he had no idea the work wouldn't be completed.
Now facing severe criticism from locals, Kashem said, "Everyone asks how the full payment was released with my signature, even though the structure was never built. Teachers and students are forced to leave their bicycles outside, some of which have been stolen."
Students and guardians voiced frustration, saying, “We were promised a bicycle shed, but we’ve never seen it. If the money has been misappropriated, we demand justice.”
Local civic groups suspect the headmaster may have also been involved. “If he wasn’t, why did he sign the clearance papers?” one resident asked. “We want proper investigation, punishment for the engineer and contractor, and cancellation of their licenses.”
A field visit revealed that during Mehedi Hasan’s tenure in Borhanuddin, almost all school infrastructure projects under his supervision suffered from substandard construction. Columns lacked proper piling, roofs leaked, and sanitary fittings were of poor quality. Locals reported serious structural deficiencies in many buildings.
Teachers allege they feared speaking out against Hasan’s misconduct due to his political connections with ruling Awami League leaders. “He used his ties with local AL leaders and the MP from Bhola-3 to intimidate others,” said one teacher anonymously.
When asked about the allegations, Mehedi Hasan dismissed them, saying, “We’re not angels, but we’re not criminals either. If I weren’t a government officer, things would be different. These claims are exaggerated.”
In response, District Education Engineer Jahedul Karim said, “I was not posted in Bhola at the time of these incidents. Now that I’ve been made aware of them, I will investigate and take necessary action.”
Locals have called for a full probe and disciplinary action against all involved in the misappropriation of public education funds.
