Top PWD post proposal triggers concern 

A proposal to assign Engineer Mahbubur Haque Chowdhury for the current charge of Additional Chief Engineer (E/M) of the Public Works Department (PWD) has drawn concern within administrative circles. According to officials in PWD Engineer Mahbubur Haque, posted as Superintendent Engineer, faces multiple allegations relating to government projects, procurement, bill approvals and unexplained wealth.

According to an official proposal issued by the Establishment Branch-1 of the Office of the Chief Engineer on July 1, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has been requested to approve Mahbubur for the post following the scheduled retirement of an Additional Chief Engineer (E/M) on September 1.
Official records show Chowdhury is currently serving as Superintending Engineer of PWD's E/M Circle-3 in Dhaka.

A review of complaint documents and other official records indicates that Chowdhury has been accused of influencing tender and procurement processes, favouring contractors, approving questionable payments and obtaining financial benefits through contractors. The allegations have not been proven in court.

He has also been accused of irregularities in the procurement of wooden furniture under a Ministry of Health project. Complaint documents allege that about Tk 5 crore was spent from a project allocation of around Tk 9 crore and claim there was collusion between engineers and contractors, with part of the money allegedly laundered abroad. These allegations could not be independently verified.

Separate allegations concern an NSI building construction project involving the approval of bills worth about Tk 17.08 crore.

According to complaint documents, contractor Alauddin Wazed submitted a written complaint to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on April 15, alleging that approved bills did not correspond with the actual progress of the project, equipment supplied or prevailing market prices. The complaint further alleges that several payments were approved without proper verification.

The complaint also alleges that Chowdhury accumulated substantial assets, including multiple apartments on Iqbal Road, a four-storey building in Agargaon, plots in Uttara and Bashundhara, land in Aftabnagar and around 15 bighas of land in the Banasree-Amulia area. The reported ownership of these properties could not be independently verified.

According to the complaint, Chowdhury remained in influential and lucrative postings within the PWD for nearly 17 years through the influence of retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, a former lawmaker, who is described as his maternal uncle. The complaint also alleges that he changed his political allegiance following the political changeover on August 5.

A senior PWD official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said transparency was essential in approving large government payments.

"If the allegations are found to be true, they would indicate serious irregularities. A proper investigation is necessary before reaching any conclusion," the official said.

Repeated attempts to obtain Mahbubur Haque Chowdhury's comments were unsuccessful.