The president of the Civil Aviation Employees Welfare Association on Wednesday submitted an allegation to the Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, urging not to award a one-year contractual appointment to Habibur Rahman as Chief Engineer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
Habibur Rahman, appointed as Chief Engineer of CAAB on November 28 last year, is a co-accused in four graft cases for allegedly embezzling Tk 812 crore from four projects at three airports in the country. A board meeting at CAAB on Monday decided to award a one-year contractual appointment to Habibur Rahman as Chief Engineer of CAAB.
A source confirmed that the decision was taken at a board meeting at the CAAB office on Monday afternoon. The board meeting was chaired by Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan, chairman of CAAB. Other members of the board meeting included Abu Naser Khan, additional secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Air Cdre AKM Ziaul Haque, member Abu Saleh Md. Mohiuddin Khan, member (Admin), Air Commodore Md Asif Iqbal, Air Commodore Mohammad Nayeemuzzaman Khan, Group Captain Md. Mukeet-ul-Alam Miah, and Habibur Rahman as Chief Engineer of CAAB.
A concerned official of CAAB confirmed to the Daily Observer that Habib has made a budget of at least Tk 10 crore. He also said Habibur Rahman is seeking contract-based appointments in various circles. "It was decided to appoint him on a contract basis for one year in the board meeting," the official said. Some board officials decided to appoint him anyway.
However, no official or employee facing a departmental or criminal lawsuit can be given the charge of acting duty.
Meanwhile, there are many efficient officials who are qualified to be the chief engineer of CAAB. According to ACC sources, a case was filed against five people, including CAAB's then-Superintending Engineer Shahidul Afroz, on allegations of corruption in the procurement of generators for Cox's Bazar airport.
The investigation of CAAB cleared Shahidul Afroz of involvement in such corruption. There are no allegations against Md. Jakaria Hossain and Shuvasheesh Barua. Another individual, Sariful Islam, was accused in the ACC case.
On February 23, the High Court issued a rule asking why no departmental action should be taken against Habibur Rahman, chief engineer of CAAB, who has been accused in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On January 27, the ACC filed four separate cases against Sheikh Hasina's ex-military adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former CAAB chairman M Mofidur Rahman, CAAB's Chief Engineer Habibur Rahman, and 16 others in connection with the embezzlement of Tk 812 crore from Bangladesh's aviation sector.
