Contractor Alleges BNP MP Extorted Millions, Harassed Him With a Lawsuit, Halting Bridge Construction

❐ BD Digest Desk

BNP MP Nurul Islam Nurul of Sunamganj-4 (Sunamganj Sadar and Bishwambharpur) and his associates have been accused of stopping the construction of two bridges and demanding crores of taka in extortion.

Shafiqul Islam, a contractor and resident of Badaghat in Tahirpur, filed a written complaint with the Home Minister on Tuesday. Shafiqul Islam said the same complaint was also submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday. However, MP Nurul Islam denied all the allegations.

Contractor Shafiq alleged that Nurul Islam Nurul and his people demanded crores of taka in extortion, death threats, harassment, intimidation of family members, and obstruction of government development work, and demanded that action be taken to ensure the safety of life.

It is learnt that Shafiqul Islam, the owner of Islam Traders, is constructing the Muktirakhala-1 Bridge and Salampur Bridge in Bishwambharpur Upazila of Sunamganj district. The Tk 87 crore project has been stopped several times recently. In this situation, the contractor complained to the Home Minister on Tuesday.

MP Nurul Islam was returning through the area in the afternoon on the day of the complaint. He questioned the construction work of the Salampur Bridge and asked it to be stopped. At that time, it was alleged that his people beat up some workers. The driver of the roller used in the construction work, Monir, the driver of the payloader, Kabir Ahmed, and the site contractor, Hossain Ahmed, were injured in the beating.

In the complaint, contractor Shafiq mentioned that MP Nurul Islam Nurul and his people demanded a bribe of Tk 1 crore at different times. Since the demanded bribe was not paid, they are continuously creating pressure through various individuals and media, threatening and intimidating them in various ways.

The contractor also mentioned that a case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act on September 18 in connection with a Chhatra League procession on the road in front of Sunamganj Circuit House on September 17. He has been named as accused number 51 in that case. He was also named as accused number 13 in a case filed on March 28 last year regarding the theft of fish from Kabila Beel under Karaljan Beel Group (B) Jalmahal of Beheli Union of Jamalganj Police Station. Police were also sent to his Sylhet residence.

On October 20, the construction of Mukti Rakhala-1 Bridge was stopped by obstructing it twice. The last time, on Tuesday, the day of the complaint, the work on Salampur Bridge was stopped, said Shafiqul Islam.

He said that on October 20, a leader of the Sunamganj Municipal Youth Dal called him and pressured him to meet the MP and resolve the issue. Earlier, on October 5, a leader of the District Youth Dal called him and threatened him.

Regarding the complaint, MP Nurul Islam Nurul said, “I do not know the contractor Shafiq personally. On Tuesday, on the way back from a program, people in the area pointed out irregularities in the construction of the guardwall of the Salampur Bridge. After seeing it, the executive engineer is scheduled to go there on Wednesday. The issue of stopping work or demanding extortion is irrelevant. He will have to prove who demanded extortion and threatened him.”

MP Nurul Islam inspected the Salampur Bridge again on Wednesday afternoon. He told the media that he visited the bridge work yesterday on his way back from a game following complaints from locals. The people of the area are suffering due to irregularities and slowness in the work.

He said, “A complaint has been filed against me with the Home Minister for talking about work. Basically, this is being done to cover up looting. Far from asking for money for development work, I have not even reprimanded anyone.”

In response to a question about the police harassing the contractor, he said, “If there is a case, the police will do their job. Why would I harass them?”

Zahirul Islam, executive engineer of Soj Sunamganj, who was present at the time, said that action will be taken if there are irregularities in the work. He mentioned that the work is slow and said that we are putting pressure so that the work is completed on time.

Source: Samakal