Serious allegations of corruption, abuse of influence, irregularities in public procurement and financial misconduct have surfaced against Md Ilias Ahmed, also known as Nasir, a supervising engineer at the Public Works Department (PWD) in Sylhet.
The allegations include manipulating transfers and postings, favouring selected contractors, demanding commissions on government projects, inflating project costs and allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to known sources of income. However, the claims have not been independently verified.
According to documents and information cited by the complainants, Ilias served in several important PWD offices in Dhaka, including the Dhaka PWD Division-2 and Azimpur PWD Division, before being promoted to supervising engineer in 2023. He took charge of the Sylhet PWD Circle in September 2024.
One major allegation concerns a government residential project in Azimpur, estimated at nearly Tk2,000 crore. Complainants allege that amendments to the Development Project Proposal (DPP) were used to substantially increase costs under several heads, including soil improvement, boundary walls, water bodies, fire-fighting facilities, generators, lifts and CCTV systems. The allegations would require examination of the approved estimates, procurement documents and revised DPPs to establish whether irregularities occurred.
There are also allegations that Ilias favoured specific contractors and demanded commissions on project costs while serving in Mahakhali and Azimpur. One complaint reportedly involved an alleged Tk55,000 bribe linked to an Tk11 lakh work order. The complainant also alleged that a security-deposit cheque was withheld and that subsequent records relating to the complaint could not be traced.
In Sylhet, further allegations have emerged involving several tender packages and major projects, including an 18-crore-taka hospital project. Complainants allege that a commission-based network was operating around selected tenders and that tender conditions were tailored to favour particular contractors.
The report also contains allegations that Ilias acquired high-value properties in Dhaka and abroad and transferred money overseas through offshore banking channels. These claims have not been independently established.
Additionally, complainants have linked his name to allegations surrounding the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement and several criminal cases. The claims regarding his involvement in violence, political activities and financing have likewise not been independently verified.
Ilias has also faced allegations concerning his links to influential political figures and contractors. Critics claim that political connections and administrative influence helped him maintain a strong position within the PWD over the years.
Attempts were made several times to contact Ilias by phone for his response to the allegations, but he did not answer. His response will be published if and when it is received.
The allegations warrant scrutiny by the relevant authorities, including examination of procurement records, project documents, financial transactions and asset declarations to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.
