Threats and pressure on various offices to secure contracts for BNP-Jamaat-backed contractors

Staff Reporter

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A large part of the country’s infrastructural development and various public service projects are implemented through government specialized engineering organizations. The Public Works Department, Local Government Engineering Department, Bangladesh Water Development Board, Public Health Engineering Department, Education Engineering Department, City Corporations, Municipalities, Bangladesh Power Development Board and various government organizations play an important role in the construction of roads, highways, bridges, culverts, defense dams, water supply and sanitation systems, schools and colleges, and various government facilities.

However, a section of field engineers and officials of these organizations complain that they are facing unwanted pressure and lobbying from various political figures, especially current members of parliament and ministers, during the tender process for government development works.

There are allegations that in many cases, engineers are pressured to award work to preferred contractors despite not having the necessary documents, experience, or specified qualifications.

Investigations have revealed that the current BNP members of parliament are the owners of various contracting companies anonymously. They also try to get commissions from contractors in exchange for getting work done.

Tenders for various development works are usually invited from the relevant departments at the district and local levels. As a result, field-level department heads and engineers are directly involved in the tender evaluation and process.

According to the engineers concerned, it is legally and administratively impossible for them to award work to a contractor if they do not meet the government procurement rules and tender conditions.

An executive engineer of the Water Development Board, who did not wish to be named, said, “Brother, how will we provide work? Can we provide work if we do not have documents? And in the current SLT system, there is no opportunity to provide work like this.”

But concerned officials complain that in real situations, political lobbyists often do not want to take these legal and technical limitations into consideration. They expect that their recommended or nominated contractor will get the job anyway.

The engineers concerned said that in addition to direct communication, these messages are conveyed to them through various individuals. If the work is not done as desired, in some cases there is a fear of harassment or pressure on officials using party or political influence.

Concerned parties allege that this trend is not limited to any one political party. There are allegations of such lobbying against influential people from various political parties.

Some engineers said that there are even similar allegations against political figures associated with Jamaat-e-Islami.

Some officials concerned said that pressure has been created by leaders of various political parties to give work to their followers, citing the reason of ‘not getting work for a long time’.

When such political expectations conflict with the stipulated qualifications of the tender and government procurement rules, field-level engineers face a kind of administrative crisis.

An executive engineer at the Public Works Department also shared a similar experience. According to him, different people are sent multiple times for the same job and requested to give the work to the preferred contractor. But engineers often have to face pressure while making decisions according to the terms of the tender.

Sources concerned claim that similar complaints have been received after speaking to several engineers not only from the Public Works Department, but also from the Roads and Highways Department, the Local Government Engineering Department, the Water Development Board, and the Education Engineering Department.

The main point of their statement is that if a contractor is given work beyond the qualifications specified in the tender, the relevant official will have to bear the responsibility later.

New controversy over government procurement

There is also discussion and debate in relevant circles about recent changes in the government procurement process. Those concerned said that several changes were made to the government procurement system during the interim government in 2025.

Among these, various procedural changes, including the Significantly Lowest Tender method, are notable, instead of the conventional opportunity for bids to be higher or lower within a specified range.

In addition, the concerned officials said that an initiative was taken to ensure the participation of new licensees and women entrepreneurs through the limited tendering method, a part of the operating budget in the social category.

The aim was to increase the participation of new and less privileged contractors in the government procurement process and ensure competition and inclusion. But the government is taking steps to amend the PPR itself to benefit party members.

However, questions are currently being raised about the effectiveness and practical application of these systems. A section of engineers concerned allege that the SLT system is also creating opportunities for influence in various ways during tender evaluation.

They claim that due to pressure from political or influential circles, pressure is being applied in some cases to consider certain contractors as ‘responsive’ and others as ‘non-responsive’.

It is learnt that there are more complaints in the concerned quarters especially regarding some tenders of Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations and the Department of Public Health Engineering. There are also complaints regarding the Department of Education Engineering and Dhaka Metro.

According to engineers from various departments, MP ministers are becoming reckless after the current president expressed his frustration over the lack of work for party contractors in parliament and his views on the PPR amendment. Political party members are threatening to transfer them if their preferred party members do not get work.

However, to verify the veracity of these allegations, it is necessary to independently review each tender document, technical evaluation, eligibility criteria, and related decision-making process.

A section of those concerned with the issue of good governance and transparency believes that the true picture could be clearer if the tender processes of these institutions in recent months were independently reviewed.

In particular, if a sample-based analysis of tenders is conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh, government procurement experts, and independent procurement experts, it may be possible to impartially identify whether there are any irregularities, bias, or procedural weaknesses.

Engineers’ question – who will take responsibility?

The biggest concern of the engineers concerned is that if a contractor who does not meet the specified qualifications is given work due to political pressure, then the responsibility for the quality of work, financial irregularities, or administrative investigations may ultimately fall on the engineer concerned.

In the words of an engineer, “It is not in the record who made the political recommendation; but if we make a decision outside the rules, we have to take responsibility for that decision.”

For this reason, engineers and officials involved in government procurement processes demand that it is important to ensure the eligibility, competition, transparency, and compliance with government procurement rules of tenders instead of political considerations in development work.

At the same time, if any contractor or political party feels that they have been deprived of work opportunities for a long time, then that too must be resolved within the framework of existing laws and regulations.

If the government wants to prioritize good governance, transparency, and accountability, it is essential to ensure an environment free from political or personal influence in the tendering process for development projects. Because awarding a contract to a contractor is not just a matter of personal convenience; it directly affects the proper use of government funds, the quality of the project, and ultimately the interests of the public.

According to relevant circles, if undue pressure on engineers cannot be stopped and tender evaluation cannot be conducted based on documents, qualifications, and rules, both the transparency of the government’s development activities and public trust may be called into question.