Former CAAB chief engineer arrested for ‘corruption’ in Cox’s Bazar Airport project

The anti-graft watchdog is prosecuting him for embezzling Tk 1.5 billion

The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Md Habibur Rahman, a former chief engineer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), on charges of corruption in the project to expand runways at Cox’s Bazar International Airport.

The arrest was confirmed by ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain on Wednesday.

Habibur was arrested in Segunbagicha in Dhaka.

The ACC has requested the court to send Habibur to jail, citing it was necessary for the investigation.

On Jan 27, 2025, the ACC filed the case against Habibur on charges of Tk 1.5 billion embezzlement in the Cox’s Bazar Airport project.

Aeroness International was illegally made a co-contractor through a local agent by obtaining “unauthorised” benefits for the expansion of the Cox’s Bazar Airport runway project, the ACC said.

The firm was hired by violating the Public Procurement Rules and with “direct cooperation and abuse of power” by former prime minister’s defence and security advisor Tareque Ahmed Siddique, according to the ACC.

Habibur served as the project director. He allegedly “misused administrative power, increased expenditures, disrupted the approval process, and violated financial disbursement rules”.