A local contractor in Nagarkanda, Faridpur, has accused a municipal administrative officer and his associate of physical assault following a dispute over unpaid project bills, claiming he was beaten with an iron pipe for refusing to pay a 15 per cent bribe.
The incident occurred at around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, 12 August, inside the office of Humayun Kabir, the administrative officer of Nagarkanda Municipality. The victim, Hasibul Hasan Abdullah, proprietor of construction firm Syeda Jahanara Enterprise, suffered severe injuries including a suspected broken arm and was subsequently transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for emergency care.
According to the contractor, his firm completed Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) casting on three municipal roads in 2023 under the Important Urban Infrastructure Development Project (IUIDP). Although the final bill received formal approval eight months ago, municipal officials allegedly withheld payment.
Hasibul claimed that Humayun Kabir repeatedly demanded a 15 per cent commission on the total bill amount before releasing the funds. The contractor alleged that he had already paid Tk 5 lakh on Monday, 10 August, but the official continued to hold back the funds while demanding an additional Tk 5 lakh.
When Hasibul entered the administrative officer’s room on Wednesday to resolve the financial deadlock, a heated argument escalated into violence. Hasibul alleged that Kabir and his associate, Moslem Uddin, attacked him with a galvanised iron pipe, inflicting severe blows that fractured his arm.
Municipal Official Denies Corruption and Assault Claims
Humayun Kabir strongly rejected the extortion allegations, offering a contrasting account of the confrontation. The administrative officer maintained that the contractor’s payment was lawfully withheld because the road construction work remained incomplete and failed to meet municipal quality benchmarks.
Kabir stated that municipal administrator and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rezwana Afrin had issued explicit instructions prohibiting the clearance of funds until the contractor rectified existing defects and finished the project entirely. He alleged that an agitated Hasibul entered the municipal building and initiated a physical altercation after being informed that his bill could not be processed. Kabir denied striking the contractor or using an iron pipe during the incident.
Confirming the administrative directive, UNO Rezwana Afrin acknowledged that she was aware of the withheld billing. She explained that official inspections had uncovered notable discrepancies in the completed work, prompting the municipality to freeze disbursements until the contractor satisfied all technical requirements.
Addressing the violent clash inside the municipal offices, the UNO stated that she was investigating why the contractor had visited the administrative officer’s private chamber and confirmed that appropriate legal and disciplinary measures would be taken following a thorough administrative review in coordination with higher authorities.
Medical Assessment and Transfer
Following the altercation, Hasibul was rushed to the Nagarkanda Upazila Health Complex for immediate medical evaluation.
Dr SM Iftekhar Azad, Family Planning and Health Officer at the health complex, confirmed that the patient arrived at the facility with visible swelling, severe bruising, and impact trauma along his arm. Medical staff administered initial first aid before referring him to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for comprehensive radiodiagnostic imaging and specialized orthopaedic treatment.
Hasibul remains admitted at Faridpur Medical College Hospital as local authorities prepare to conduct a formal inquiry into both the alleged corruption and the physical assault within the public office.
