Deputy Secretary of the Local Government Division Md Mahbub Alam is facing allegations of sexual harassment, fraud, and amassing wealth through illegal means.
A woman named Suriya Parvin Dina lodged a complaint against Mahabub with the Ministry of Public Administration on October 17. A copy of the complaint letter is available with the Bangladesh Post.
According to the complaint, when Dina was a student at Cumilla Victoria College, she faced some family problems and sought help from Mahbub Alam, the then Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), in this regard.
After helping Dina, Mahbub started making contact with her regularly through his personal phone number. Later, he promised Dina a good job once her studies are completed, and subsequently, love affairs developed between them.
At one point, Mahbub Alam expressed his desire to spend some time with Dina privately due to his family problems.
After being transferred to Begumganj upazila in Noakhali, they couldn’t meet regularly. Mahbub managed to get Dina a job at a local kindergarten in the same upazila and rented an apartment house for her.
According to an investigation by the Bangladesh Post, while serving as Upazila Executive Engineer in Begumganj, the then lawmaker from Noakhali-3 brought allegations of corruption against Mahbub Alam. Mahbub, impersonating himself a contractor, embezzled Tk 19.5 lakh by installing biometric attendance machines worth Tk 7,500 each in 195 government primary schools.
The then-Noakhali-3 lawmaker at a press conference alleged that he (Mahbub) embezzled Tk 35 lakh through fake projects in collusion with the chairmen of five union parishads. Besides, he was accused of taking illegal toll from brick kiln owners in the name of celebrating Victory Day.
Dina also alleged in the complaint that Mahbub would take her to different rest houses after office hours, promising marriage, and made physical relationship with her. Later, he married her in presence of an imam.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahbub rented a two-room house at an apartment for Dina near the Circuit House in Noakhali, where she became pregnant. However, Mahbub arranged for her abortion at a hospital in Begumganj. While Dina was still in the hospital, Mahbub was transferred to Bandarban after his promotion to Additional Deputy Commissioner.
Later, Mahbub kept Dina in a rest house in Bandarban introducing her as his wife. After staying in Bandarban for three months, Mahbub’s wife, Shabrina Islam, came to know the matter and filed a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner, causing problems in Mahbub’s job.
In this situation, Mahbub arranged for Dina a house in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area and he was transferred to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). After moving to the Planning Commission, they rented a house at Shewrapara in Mirpur.
Mahbub was eventually appointed as the PS to the Secretary. Dina alleged that Mahbub used to bring briefcases full of money to their house and bought a flat with that money at Banani and a plot at Purbachal in the capital.
According to Dina, Mahbub recorded immoral activities of the Secretary on his mobile phone to force him to do what he wants.
Five months later, Mahbub cut off contact with Dina. Dina claims to have photos and videos of their time together.
After failing to contact Mahbub, Dina filed a complaint with the Ministry of Public Administration. She expressed fear for her safety due to Mahbub’s influential position.
Dina told the Bangladesh Post that she has all the evidence of her relationship with Mahbub. “As he has denies their relationship due to his influence, I was compelled to file a complaint against him. I demand justice for the wrongs he committed against me.”
This correspondent tried to contact Mahbub Alam several times, but his phone was found switched-off. Serval SMS and WhatsApp messages were also sent to his mobile number. He has seen the WhatsApp message, but didn’t respond.
