Shamim-Keshab’s Market of Bribery: Dhaka LA Branch Becomes Another Name for Harassment, Two ACC Cases Under Investigation

Sayeed Ahmed

Despite having undeniable evidence of corruption against these identified corrupt officials, they are not arrested for reasons that remain unclear. They have built mountains of assets under their own names and those of others. Yet these assets never become the subject of investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). A recent lengthy investigation by this correspondent has revealed some snapshots of Dhaka DC’s LA Branch-3, allegedly controlled by Shamim and Keshab.

Case Study One

Land Acquisition Case No. 08/23-24. Mouza: Jowar Sahara. CS Plot No. 1295, RS Plot No. 5438, City Plot No. 57737, acquired land: 0.0819 acres. In the earlier LA Case No. 138/1961-62, the entire land under CS Plot No. 1295 had already been acquired. By concealing information about the previously acquired overlapping land and taking a 30 percent commission, Keshab Lal Deb’s branch paid Tk 17 crore 42 lakh 34 thousand last year, on May 18, to Abdul Mannan, who claimed ownership of the land, as “compensation”. The cheque number was 1091418.

Case Study Two

Land Acquisition Case No. 18/23-24. Mouza: Abdullahpur. City Plot No. 2624, acquired land: 0.0651 acres. The property had previously been fully acquired by the Water Development Board under LA Case No. 08/1964-65. By concealing information about the previously acquired overlapping land and taking a 25 percent commission, nearly Tk 20 crore was allegedly paid to a fake individual claiming ownership of the property.

Case Study Three

Land Acquisition Case No. 04/22-23, Mouza: Naraibagh. Land and structures on Plot Nos. 2253 and 2254 were acquired. An organised fraud ring involved in paying compensation allegedly showed the structure built on Plot No. 2253 as being located only on Plot No. 2254. Surveyors Mr. Keshab Lal and Abdul Barik of the LA branch allegedly took 33 percent of the money and, excluding the original awardee, Md. Salah Uddin, presented Md. Jasim Uddin as a fake owner and paid him Tk 14 crore 11 lakh 96 thousand 77.

During the Ms. Hasina regime, Md. Salahuddin was the councillor of Ward No. 69 of Dhaka South. He fled to India after August 5. According to inheritance records and mutation documents, seven people, including Mr. Salahuddin, were owners of the land and structures under City Plot No. 2253.

The other owners were Md. Abul Kashem, Abul Hashem, Russel Ahmed, Taslima Ahmed and Jasim Uddin. Their father was Tamizuddin Ahmed. Address: 30 Naraibagh, Demra, Dhaka-1360. Among them, Md. Salahuddin is currently absconding, while Md. Ishaq Mia (Md. Abul Kashem) lives in the United States. How did these two people, while staying outside the country, personally participate in the hearing at the LA branch? Anything is possible on behalf of Keshab Lal Deb.

Fake individuals were allegedly produced and signatures forged, and a hearing was staged.
Structures were deliberately built on the acquired land using low-cost and substandard materials. Officials of the Public Works Department, Roads and Highways Department, and surveyors Keshab Lal Deb and Abdul Barik of the Dhaka DC Office were allegedly involved in this process. Mr. Keshab Lal and Abdul Barik allegedly arranged the release of funds by showing these nominal structures at inflated values.

Case Study Four

Land Acquisition Case No. 13/18-19. Mouza: Ranabhola, City Plot No. 686. Acquired land: 0.2337 acres. The RS and City records of the land showed it under Khas Khatian No. 1, meaning government-owned khas land. Despite this, Surveyor Abdul Barik allegedly took a 30 percent commission and arranged payment of Tk 3 crore 25 lakh 94 thousand 910 to Sadeka Khan.

The legal provision is that land under Khatian No. 1 can be removed from the records only with the approval of the Ministry of Land, the Divisional Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner. Ignoring these requirements, Surveyor Mr. Barik of LA Branch-3 allegedly acted in collusion with Sadeka Khan to misappropriate government funds.

Case Study Five

Land Acquisition Case No. 04/22-23. Mouza: Ghop South, City Plot No. 105. There was a structure on the property. The property was originally recorded in SA-RS-City records under Khatian No. 2 in the name of the Ministry of Textiles on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh.

Regarding compensation for the land and structures, Surveyor Abdul Barik allegedly arranged payments through cheques to various individuals, without obtaining the opinion of the Ministry of Textiles and by taking a 25 percent commission, involving around Tk 14 crore.

However, a joint investigation and award had been prepared showing the structures as being jointly owned by the Ministry of Textiles and various individuals. No no-objection certificate was obtained from the relevant ministry.

Despite this, after allegedly managing the relevant desks of the LA branch, the name of the Ministry of Textiles was removed and Tk 77 crore was paid to various individuals on Tk 300 non-judicial stamps.

Surveyors Keshab Lal Deb and Abdul Barik of Dhaka LA Branch-3, officials of the Roads and Highways Department and relevant officials of the Public Works Department allegedly divided the money among themselves.

After the incident became known, Abdul Barik was transferred to Kishoreganj district. Later, on April 26, the transfer order was cancelled by the Divisional Commissioner’s Office through Memo No. 132, allegedly after Tk 30 lakh was paid as a bribe. He has remained in the same branch ever since.

Case Study Six

Surveyor Iqbal Hossain appears to be even more audacious. Land Acquisition Case No. 04/22-23. Mouza: Kamargop. City Plot No. 220. Subject of the case: compensation for structures. The property was originally recorded under Khatian No. 2 in the name of the Ministry of Textiles. But LA Branch-3 allegedly paid Tk 8 crore 34 lakh 18 thousand 709 in compensation to various individuals on non-judicial stamps in exchange for around Tk 2 crore at a 25 percent commission rate.

The money was allegedly divided among relevant officials of the Roads and Highways Department, the Public Works Department and Surveyor Iqbal Hossain. Although the structure was built with low-quality, inexpensive materials, it was allegedly valued at a very high amount.

Moreover, neither the Ministry of Textiles nor the Deputy Commissioner’s Office gave approval for payment of the compensation. ADC Shamim Hossain and surveyors Keshab Lal Deb, Abdul Barik and Iqbal Hossain are alleged to have been involved in the misappropriation.

Who Are Shamim and Keshab?

His name is Keshab Lal Deb. He is currently a surveyor at LA Branch-3 of the Dhaka District Commissioner’s Office. Throughout the Ms. Hasina era, he worked at the Cox’s Bazar DC Office. He was allegedly one of the key figures in corruption related to land acquisition for the Matarbari power project.

His work has always appeared to match his name. He is also “red” when it comes to wealth and money. So “red” that managing people “at the top” appears to be easy for him. Although he was arrested in a corruption case involving the embezzlement of crores of taka in government funds, he did not have to remain in jail for long. After August 5, 2024, he allegedly secured a posting at the Dhaka DC Office by placing his name on a list of the “deprived and persecuted”.

Here too, under the leadership of his superior “boss”, ADC Shamim of the LA branch, he has allegedly built an unstoppable syndicate. The unofficial “convener” of the syndicate is ADC Shamim, while Keshab Lal Deb is its “secretary-general”. Surveyors Abdul Barik and Iqbal Hossain are their associates.

The group has allegedly established a reign of looting government funds at Dhaka’s LA branch. According to victims, Dhaka District Administration’s LA Branch-3 has become another name for bribery, corruption and harassment.

In two separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission over the alleged embezzlement of crores of taka from government funds in the name of acquiring land for two projects in Cox’s Bazar,Mr. Shamim Hossain and Mr. Keshab Lal should now be in jail. Instead, they have received “prize postings”.

After allegedly benefiting from the Cox’s Bazar District Administration Office, they have now turned their attention to the Dhaka DC Office. By withholding files related to land acquired for the “Dhaka Elevated Expressway” project, they are allegedly extorting crores of taka from both sides. They are subjecting ordinary affected people to multiple forms of harassment. At the same time, they allegedly provide an immediate solution if money is paid. In other words, the situation has allegedly been created artificially.

According to ACC sources, in a corruption case involving land acquisition for the widely discussed “Matarbari Power Project” during the Hasina regime, the then Cox’s Bazar ADC (LA), Md. Shamim Hossain (Identification No. 17474), is accused No. 21. His home is in Chatmohar, Pabna. He is the son of Abdul Jalil of Gunai Gachha, Doripara village.

The agency’s investigation report says Md. Shamim Hossain was accused No. 163 in a case related to land acquisition in Matarbari (Case No. 52/86). Although he himself was a land acquisition officer, he allegedly resorted to fraud. Despite having a thorough understanding of the land acquisition law, he allegedly engaged in fraud and forgery with others with dishonest intentions regarding land on the northern bank of the proposed Bakkhali River under Cox’s Bazar LA Case No. 04/19-20, dated May 18, 2019.

By abusing the powers entrusted to him and through criminal misconduct, he allegedly benefited himself and others and caused the waste of government funds. With the intention of manipulation and embezzlement, he allegedly shifted the proposed land and designated land on the southern bank of the Bakkhali River, which was ten times more valuable, for the project.

Later, in violation of Article 04 (d) of the guidelines for implementing the Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Act, 2017, 1.72 decimals of land out of the 2.19 acres of acquired land was allegedly shown as being in the possession of Farhana Akter, wife of Mayor Mujibur Rahman, and his brother-in-law Mizanur Rahman.

While Receiver Case No. 03/1988-89 and another case, No. 52/1986, were pending, the government-received land was allegedly shown as being in private possession in collusion with the Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Sadar Mukhtar. The land was then mutated, and the orders under Section 4, dated November 11, 2019, and Section 7, dated November 25, 2019, were issued. On December 17, 2019, the assessment was sent to the agency expecting the project.

Later, he was included as accused No. 163 in the other Case No. 52/1986. He allegedly misled the High Court regarding its order dated December 5, 2019, in Writ Petition No. 14681/2019. Without properly disposing of the matter, Md. Shamim Hossain allegedly misappropriated Tk 7 crore 14 lakh 88 thousand 780 by paying the amount as compensation for the acquisition on July 9, 2020.

The investigation report also recommended filing a charge sheet against Md. Shamim Hossain under Sections 409, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. In another case related to land acquisition for construction of a Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) office in Jhilongja Mouza of Cox’s Bazar district, Md. Shamim Hossain is accused No. 24. The first accused is Mohammad Wasim Khan, then a surveyor at the Cox’s Bazar District Commissioner’s Office.

In the case filed on March 10, 2020 (Special Case No. 06/2020), he was charged under Sections 161, 162, 420 and 109 of the Penal Code, Section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The case alleges that Mr. Shamim misappropriated Tk 8 crore to Tk 10 crore of government funds by changing the classification of land under the PBI project.

The FIR states that, based on documentary records and an illegal field book, or a fabricated field book, cheques were issued. Chandrima Housing was shown as an “affected” party without a file note. After Section 4 was issued, the power-of-attorney holders were again included in the award, while Sections 4 and 7 were concealed and Chandrima Housing’s land was shown as part of the acquisition.

Although the Department of Public Security’s Memo No. 44.00.0000.098.07.016-17-13, dated January 1, 2018, specifically identified Plot No. 8004/8921 under RS Khatian No. 1950, Mr. Shamim Hossain, Deputy Commissioner Md. Kamal Hossain and ADC Ashraful Afsar allegedly acted in collusion and allowed the plot and khatian to be included in Chandrima’s fake power-of-attorney deed, enabling money to be withdrawn and embezzled. In this case, Md. Shamim Hossain allegedly took Tk 50 lakh as a bribe.

The charge sheets in two serious cases against Md. Shamim Hossain and others are currently under consideration by the ACC. In Cox’s Bazar, Surveyor Keshab Lal Deb was allegedly ADC Mr. Shamim’s partner in corruption. Mr. Keshab was arrested by an ACC task force on January 23, 2021, over allegations of taking crores of taka in commissions and bribes from compensation paid for acquired land.

He was arrested in front of Omargani MES College near Zakir Hossain Road in Chattogram city by Md. Sharif Uddin, then Deputy Assistant Director of the ACC’s Chattogram Integrated District Office-2. Identified top land-office broker Muhib Ullah was also arrested along with Surveyor Keshab. After obtaining bail in that case, Mr. Keshab Lal has continued to work in his job without apparent difficulty.

Mr. Keshab Lal is not the only one. The entire group allegedly involved in corruption in land acquisition for the Matarbari project has now been transferred to the Land Acquisition Branch of the Dhaka District Administration. The other members of the group are Abdul Barek, Md. Shahin and Mujibul Haque. Mujibul was once dismissed from his job in a case involving the alleged embezzlement of Tk 446 crore from the land acquisition budget for the 300-foot road under the Purbachal project in the capital.

Mujibul Haque is reportedly close to influential secretary of the Ms. Hasina government Kabir Bin Anwar and served as his adviser on land-related matters. With his advice, Kabir Bin Anwar allegedly exerted influence over land grabbing in Cox’s Bazar and other tourist areas of the country. After losing his job, Mujibul allegedly presented himself as “persecuted” and “deprived” after August 5, 2024, and was reinstated.

Now, the syndicate of Keshab Lal Deb, Abdul Barek, Md. Shahin Mia and Mr. Mujibul, allegedly formed under the leadership of ADC Mr. Shamim Hossain, has become all-powerful in the land acquisition branch of the Dhaka DC Office.

A source familiar with the investigation said an influential minister in the current government brought the entire fraud network of the Cox’s Bazar DC Office to Dhaka for a special purpose. The group has allegedly been empowered at the Dhaka DC Office under the influence of that minister.

As a result, people accused in corruption cases during the Ms. Hasina regime are now working in Dhaka with authority after allegedly being cleared of their past records. Nobody at the Dhaka DC Office is reportedly willing to speak against the corrupt group because of the influential minister’s backing. Meanwhile, Md. Shamim Hossain was contacted for his response to the allegations. When he was called, a person on the other end said that his hand had been sprained. He is currently receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital.

Surveyor Keshab Lal Deb was contacted today (Tuesday) for his comments on the ACC arrest and allegations of harassment, bribery and corruption involving victims at LA Branch-3 of the Dhaka DC Office. He did not answer the phone. He was also sent an SMS, but no response had been received until the report was written. Dhaka District Commissioner Farida Khanam was also contacted for her comments on the same issue. She was called several times but did not answer. No response was received despite sending an SMS.