Former railway DG, five officers prosecuted over ‘Tk 3.58 billion loss in van purchase’

The anti-graft agency says 125 luggage vans were purchased through “irregular, negligent, and deliberate” actions, causing massive losses

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against the former director general of Bangladesh Railway and five senior officials over alleged state losses of Tk 3.58 billion in the purchase of luggage vans for transporting agricultural and other goods.

The case was lodged on Sunday at the ACC’s Dhaka District Office-1 by Deputy Assistant Director Md Habibur Rahman.

ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain later said the suspects caused state losses through abuse of power, false reporting, financial irregularities, and criminal breach of trust.

Under the Bangladesh Railway’s Rolling Stock Operations Improvement Project, tenders were called in 2018 for 125 luggage vans -- 75 metre-gauge vans at Tk 1.76 billion and 50 broad-gauge vans at Tk 1.52 billion, totalling Tk 3.28 billion.

The project was presented as “economically profitable” based on projected future earnings.

Following the July Uprising and the fall of the Awami League government, ACC has investigated irregularities across sectors, including railway procurement, leading to this case.

The FIR names six officials, including Ahmed Mahbub Chowdhury, additional chief mechanical engineer, and Railway Director Mrinal Kanti Banik, both members of the project feasibility committee.

Others include Abdul Matin Chowdhury, project director; former general managers Md Harun-or-Rashid and Mizanur Rahman; and former DG Shamsuzzaman.

The FIR alleges irregular, negligent, and deliberate actions at multiple stages of project approval and procurement, resulting in massive state losses.

ACC claims the suspects colluded to misuse public power, provide false information, and engage in serious financial misconduct.