Tk 50 Crore Transaction in Dhaka Elevated Expressway Phase-3 Project

The Bengali proverb, “A hermit who killed 700 rats,” seems fitting for Md. Shamim Hossain, ADC of LA Branch-3 of the Dhaka District Administration. After allegedly leaving a trail of corruption in the land acquisition process for the Matarbari Power Project in Cox’s Bazar, he has now allegedly found another field of corruption in Dhaka—the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Phase-3 project.
The land acquisition process for Phase-3 is currently underway. Land had previously been acquired under LA Case Nos. 13/23-24, 18/23-24 and 10/19-20, and compensation had already been paid to those affected by the acquisition of land and structures.

Now, a joint investigation is underway to acquire several structures on the same land under LA Case No. 7/25-26. The project will run from Southkhan in Uttara to Pipaile EPZ. Several institutional and privately owned structures are located between Abdullahpur and Ashulia. Most are reportedly weak structures built with low-quality materials. However, some are allegedly being recorded during the joint investigation as “high-rise concrete buildings” or “multi-storey buildings,” allowing the Public Works Department to assess their value at several times their actual worth. It is alleged that ADC Md. Shamim Hossain is attempting to reacquire several structures on previously acquired land to siphon off crores of taka in government compensation. This could further increase the cost of implementing the third phase of the Elevated Expressway.
Meanwhile, in response to a Daily Inqilab online report published on September 8 titled “Shamim-Keshab’s Bribe Market: Dhaka’s LA Branch Another Name for Harassment, Two ACC Cases Under Investigation,” ADC Shamim Hossain denied involvement in the acquisitions mentioned in the report. He blamed former ADC Litous Lawrence, who previously served in charge of LA Branch-3, for corruption in LA Case Nos. 08/23-24, 18/23-24, 04/22-23 and 13/18-19. He also blamed Sadia Sultana, Badruddoza Shuvo, Halim and Tanzila Akter, who had served in various positions in the branch.

Shamim Hossain said over the phone, “I have been in charge of LA Branch-3 for only one and a half months. False information was published using my photograph. I am not involved in this at all. I had a road accident and am now bedridden. A report has been published against me at this time. May Allah guide you (the reporters).”
However, he did not protest against allegations of corruption in the Matarbari Power Project. Details of his alleged involvement have emerged in two investigation reports by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Alleged Corruption in Matarbari
According to an ACC report, Md. Shamim Hossain, currently an ADC of the Dhaka District Administration, is accused No. 163 in a land acquisition case related to the Matarbari project (Case No. 52/86).
The report alleges that while serving as a land acquisition officer, Shamim abused his authority and resorted to fraud in connection with Cox’s Bazar LA Case No. 04/19-20. It says he acted in collusion with others regarding land on the northern bank of the proposed Bankkhali River and shifted the proposed project land to the southern bank, where the land was allegedly 10 times more valuable.

The report further alleges that he violated relevant land acquisition guidelines and, in collusion with officials, showed government-received land as being in private possession in the name of Farhana Akter, wife of Mayor Mujibur Rahman, and her brother Mizanur Rahman.

It also alleges that, without properly disposing of the matter, Shamim paid Tk 7 crore 14 lakh 88,780 in acquisition compensation on July 9, 2020, resulting in embezzlement.
The ACC investigation recommended filing a charge sheet against Shamim under Sections 409, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The report, however, was allegedly suppressed through the intervention of influential bureaucrats Helal Uddin Ahmed and Jahangir Alam, both currently in jail.

Shamim is also accused No. 24 in a land acquisition case concerning construction of a Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) office in Jhilongja mouza, Cox’s Bazar. The case, filed on March 10, 2020, alleges that the classification of land was changed, causing the government losses of Tk 8-10 crore.
According to the FIR, Shamim allegedly colluded with District Administrator Md. Kamal Hossain and ADC Ashraful Afsar in connection with a forged power-of-attorney document involving Chandrima Housing. The case alleges that Shamim took a bribe of Tk 50 lakh.
The charge sheets in the two cases against Shamim and others are currently under consideration by the ACC.

Keshab’s Role
Surveyor Keshab Lal Deb was allegedly one of Shamim Hossain’s key partners in Cox’s Bazar. 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.
Mr. Keshab is now allegedly serving as Shamim’s right-hand man at LA Branch-3 of the Dhaka District Administration. He was arrested in front of Omar Gani MES College on Zakir Hossain Road in Khulshi, Chattogram, by an ACC official. A known land-office broker, Muhib Ullah, was also arrested with him. Mr. Keshab spent more than one and a half months in jail before securing bail and is now allegedly involved in similar activities at the Dhaka DC office.

After the alleged suppression of corruption in the Matarbari project, a new arrangement is reportedly underway involving Shamim Hossain and Keshab to siphon off government funds in the name of acquiring structures for Phase-3 of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway.