Govt cancels luxury flat allotments to former secretaries, judges, top bureaucrats in Dhanmondi

Complaint linked to the 2018 election alleges that the flats were given to them as “rewards”

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has cancelled the allocation of 12 luxury flats at Dhaka’s upscale Dhanmondi to former senior bureaucrats, judges and government officials, following findings from an internal investigation.

A media statement issued on Tuesday said the decision was based on recommendations from a probe committee formed by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

The cancellation was approved during the NHA’s 274th board meeting, it added.

Those whose flat allocations were revoked include former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) commissioner and retired judge Md Jahurul Haque, former senior secretaries Md Eunusur Rahman, Md Mozammel Haque Khan, SM Golam Faruk, and M Aslam Alam.

Others are ex-secretaries MA Quader Sarkar, Akhtari Momtaz, Md Sirajul Haque Khan; retired district and sessions judges Manjurul Bashid and Syed Aminul Islam; former director general of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education Prof Nehal Ahmed, former senior secretary and former election commissioner Md Anisur Rahman.

The flats are being constructed in House No. 711 (New-63) of Road No. 13 (New-6/A) in Dhanmondi R/A under the project titled “Construction of residential flats in various abandoned houses in Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur, Dhaka (Housing Dhanmondi) (Phase 1)”, reports state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

In May, the ACC said it had found evidence of policy violations in these high-value allocations during the Awami League government’s tenure.

According to complaints received by the ACC, the flats were allegedly awarded in 2018 to reward 12 senior officers reportedly involved in the controversial general election.

The ACC launched its probe after a private TV channel aired an investigative report on May 5.