Former Civil Aviation Chief Engineer Arrested

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh has arrested Habibur Rahman, the former Chief Engineer of the Civil Aviation Department, in connection with multiple allegations of corruption. The arrest was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon (28 January) by an ACC source.

Habibur Rahman has been a central figure in four separate cases filed by the ACC on 28 January last year. The cases allege embezzlement of billions of taka through corrupt practices in the development of three major international airports. At the time, Habibur Rahman was serving as the supervising engineer for several significant projects under the Civil Aviation Department and is currently the Chief Engineer of the Bangladesh Enterprise for Aviation Development (BEBICHCO).

ACC officials have described him as the “scion of corruption” within the Civil Aviation Department, citing a long career riddled with irregularities and financial misconduct. Sources indicate that throughout his tenure, he accumulated vast wealth far exceeding his declared income.

During his tenure as supervising engineer, Habibur Rahman allegedly leveraged his position to extract bribes and manipulate project approvals, enriching himself unlawfully. One notable case involves the Cox’s Bazar Airport Expansion Project, where all land acquisition procedures were completed, and the government had allocated BDT 500 million for land payments. However, he reportedly delayed the release of the cheques to facilitate bribery transactions, which postponed the land acquisition process. The delay eventually forced the government to pay three times the original amount, leading to a financial loss of BDT 1 billion. Subsequent investigations confirmed these allegations.

Despite holding primary responsibility as supervising engineer, Habibur Rahman is said to have manipulated senior officials to avoid accountability, allowing the irregularities to continue for years. His actions have drawn widespread criticism for undermining transparency and jeopardising public funds in major infrastructure projects.

The following table summarises the ACC cases and associated allegations:

The ACC has emphasised that the arrest marks a significant step towards enforcing accountability in Bangladesh’s civil aviation sector. Officials reiterated that systemic reforms are essential to ensure transparency and prevent further misuse of public funds in infrastructure projects.