Allegation of corruption and irregularities has been brought against Upazila Cooperatives Officer of Rangpur Sadar Masud Rana.
According to the allegations, Masud Rana has allowed representatives of a dissolved society to participate in the election of the managing committee of Rangpur Central Cooperative Bank Ltd, and selling its properties worth several crores of taka at a nominal price for his own benefit after becoming interim president of the society.
Besides, there are allegations that the cooperative officer took illegal benefits by holding elections of different local cooperative societies under his jurisdiction. He has now become a don of reckless corruption in the Rangpur Central Cooperatives Bank and other societies.
On investigation it was seen that a primary cooperative society, Sheikhpara Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd and Sadya Pushkarani Union Multipurpose Cooperative Association Ltd under Rangpur Central Cooperative Bank Ltd were placed under liquidation on February 2 in 2022. The names of these two societies were mentioned in the serial numbers 3 and 33 of the liquidation list.
However, Rangpur Sadar Upazila Cooperative Officer Masud Rana countersigned a representative form, nomination form and resolution to enable the representatives of the two societies under dissolution to participate in the election of the managing committee of the Central Cooperative Bank Ltd.
In the election, Krishna Ranjan Barman Swadhin, representative of Sadya Pushkarani Union Bahumukhi Samabay Samity Ltd was elected and served as a director from 2022 to 2024 in the managing committee.
While serving as the liquidator of Sheikhpara Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd, Upazila Cooperative Officer Masud Rana has also served as the president of the election committee of the managing committee of Rangpur Central Cooperative Bank Ltd. He also served as a government-nominated director in the managing committee during the period.
Not only that, he also received Tk 50,000 as honorarium of the audit officer of Rangpur Central Cooperative Bank Ltd in 2020-21.
When asked, Upazila Cooperative Officer Masud Rana said, "The election schedule was announced before the dissolution order or instruction. Before the decision, representatives of the two societies had submitted their papers for the election. So, they were not ineligible to participate in the election.
Rejecting the allegation of taking money through bank cheque, Masud Rana said, "The allegation of withdrawing money through cheque is completely fabricated. Someone may have drawn money through the cheque in my name," he claimed.
Besides, there are many allegations that the upazila cooperative official has been looting huge amount of money for recommending different cooperatives societies to sell their valuable properties at nominal prices.
Multiple sources from the 'Bangladesh Bank Employees Savings and Credit Society' said that 24 decimals of land adjacent to the Shimulbagh Community Centre in Rangpur's Dhap were sold for only Tk 24 lakh per decimal this year. Locals in the Shimulbagh area, however, claim that price of per decimal land in the area now is more than Tk 80 lakh.
The land was sold to CDD Housing. An official of CDD Housing told this correspondent on condition of anonymity, "Masud Rana had taken bribe of Tk 50,000 from me to approve the documents. He demanded Tk 2.5 lakh more."
Preferring anonymity, an official said that Masud Rana had been trying for a long time to sell the land adjacent to Shimulbagh Community Centre. Later, he convinced the Cooperative Joint Registrar Mrinal Kanti Biswas and sold the land for a hefty sum. Masud Rana made a profit of more than Tk 20 crore.
In addition, there are allegations of corruption and oppression against Masud Rana in the registration of different cooperative societies. One of the allegations shows that in 1987, the Haridevpur Madhyapara Working Men and Women Society was formed under the patronage of BRAC. Members of the society have been earning their livelihood using 5.41 acres of land they purchased in 1991 with their deposited money. They are cultivating fish and growing vegetables surrounding the pond dug on the land.
But when it came to registering the land, the Assistant Land Commissioner did not approve the applications and reprimanded them for document fraud, forging the signatures and seals of members, creating fake resolutions in the name of the organization, and using fake attested signatures and seals of resolutions.
When the matter was informed to Sadar Upazila Cooperative Officer Masud Rana and he requested not to register the organization excluding the real members, Masud Rana demanded money. Abu Musa Asari, a real member of Haridevpur Madhyapara Shramajibi Purush and Mahila Samabhai Samity Ltd said, "When we applied not to register in their name, he demanded Tk 50,000 from us. Finding no other way, we gave him Tk 20,000.
The investigation found that Masud Rana is occupying multiple positions in the same cooperative society to maintain his corruption.
In this regard, Masud Rana said, "A group is after me. They want to drive me out of Rangpur. That is why they are continuing false propaganda against me. I am completely innocent."
Regarding the allegations raised against Masud Rana, Mrinal Kanti Biswas, Joint Registrar of the Rangpur Divisional Cooperative Office, said, "I have been hearing these allegations against Masud Rana for a few days. We will soon form an investigation committee to verify the truth of the incident. If it is proven, official action will be taken against him. "
