Misappropriation of huge amount of money in name of handover of shops on the bank of Gumti river in Cumilla alleged.
It is learnt that Water Development Board (WDB) of Cumilla leased over 45 decimal of land on the Gumti embankment in Companiganj under Muradnagar Upazila of the district to an influential person violating the government ban.
Later, that lessee built some semi-pucca buildings (Rooms) on the land and embezzled Tk 4.0 crore from the traders in name of possession handover whereas leasing land on river protection embankment is completely prohibited.
According to WDB and local sources, Nazrul Islam, son of late Abdul Khaleque of Bhubanghar village in Nabipur (West) union adjacent to Companiganj took lease 45 decimal of land on the Gumti river protection embankment at a place Trish from the WDB.
It was mentioned in the lease document that the lease was given temporarily for a one year period for the commercial use. The lessee had given a total of Taka 5 lakh 68 thousand including security deposit (money) of Taka 4 lakh 6 thousand and 80. It was also mentioned in the lease document that the lessee must take prior permission from the WDB for building any structure.
On the condition of anonymity, some people said after taking lease the lessee built over 50 semi-pucca houses (rooms) measuring 10 feet by 10 feet each on the embankment. Later, those rooms were rented to businessmen taking TK 6 lakh to 12 lakh for each room.
Building any structure on the river bank is completely prohibited. So, a drive was conducted recently to remove the authorized temporay structures in Chandpur of Sadar Upazila, Palpara and Gobindapur in Burichong Upazila.
hen contacted, Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman, Executive Engineer, Water Development Board of Cumilla told this correspondent that the land was leased at the instruction of local administration including the local MP.