The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has temporarily suspended Md. Saifuzzaman, Executive Engineer of the Lalmonirhat Public Works Department, from his current position. The decision was officially announced yesterday, Tuesday, via a government notification.
According to the notification, Md. Saifuzzaman is alleged to have conducted civil works for the “Non-Residential Building” segment of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Record Building Project (W-1 package) without obtaining the necessary government approval. During his tenure, he reportedly divided the project into eight separate packages and executed them through international e-tender (e-GP) procedures, incurring a total expenditure of BDT 6,31,97,000.
The Ministry further stated that the bills submitted for the eight packages did not correspond to the actual work carried out. Apart from the principal contractor, National Development Engineers Limited, payments for the 2023–2024 fiscal year were made under the names of eight other firms, despite no work being executed by these entities. The irregularities have been flagged as potential misappropriation of government funds, abuse of authority, and possible corruption.
In line with public service regulations, Md. Saifuzzaman has been temporarily suspended from 3 February 2026. He will continue to receive his entitled allowances during the suspension period, as stipulated by law.
Government sources emphasised that the incident is being treated as a serious example of corruption and misuse of power, and a dedicated investigative committee is monitoring the situation closely.
Project and Expenditure Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Officer in Charge | Md. Saifuzzaman |
| Project | Bangladesh Supreme Court Record Building Construction |
| Package Name | W-1 (Non-Residential Building) |
| Actual Expenditure | BDT 6,31,97,000 |
| Number of Divided Packages | 8 |
| Contractor(s) | National Development Engineers Limited (primary), other 8 firms for billing purposes |
| Fiscal Year of Expenditure | 2023–2024 |
| Date of Suspension | 3 February 2026 |
| Allowance Status During Suspension | Will be provided as per law |
The Ministry has signalled that any further irregularities identified during the ongoing investigation may result in more stringent actions. Observers suggest that this case could set a precedent in strengthening oversight mechanisms for large-scale government construction projects.