The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has taken up a Tk24 billion (2,400 crore) project for road and rural infrastructure repair and development in the district of Cumilla, home district of Local Government and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.
In this project, the highest allocation is being given to Asif Mahmudโs own upazila, Muradnagar (Tk4.43 billion or 453 crore). The second-highest allocation is being given to the upazila of National Citizen Party (NCP) chief coordinator (Southern region,) Hasnat AbdullahโDebidwar (Tk3.38 billion or 338 crore).
Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid has also walked the same path. LGED is taking up a Tk21.98 billion (2,198 crore) project in his home district, Satkhira. Sheikh Abdur Rashid himself played a role in initiating the project. According to the Planning Commission, LGED has never before taken such a large project for a single district, reports the daily Prothom Alo.
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While special projects have been taken for Cumilla and Satkhira, many other districts have even worse roads. For instance, according to LGED, 70% of upazila roads in Kurigram district are in dilapidated (poor and bad) condition. Yet no single project has been taken for that district.
Activists say the two districts have been prioritised so that the extortion gangs led by Asif Mahmud and Hasnat Abdullah can make money from tenders.
Mohammad Younus Hossain Biswas, LGEDโs executive engineer for Kurigram, told Prothom Alo on 28 July that in the last fiscal year, their demand for road repair funds was Tk800 million (80 crore), but they received Tk400 (40 crore). He added that people come with demands to repair roads, but due to lack of funds, they cannot carry out repairs.
During the July uprising, Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, was first appointed adviser for Labour and Sports in the interim government. At that time, local government responsibilities were with adviser AF Hassan Ariff. After three months, Hassan Ariff was removed and local government responsibilities were given to Asif Mahmud. He has told journalists that he will resign before the upcoming national election (announced for February). There is talk that Asif Mahmud will contest in the election.
Regarding the large project in his own district through the agency under his ministry, Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud could not be reached for comment. Attempts were made via email, text messages, and visits to his office.
However, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid spoke to Prothom Alo. His home is in Kaliganj, Satkhira. On 17 August, in his office, he said: โNo major project has been taken in Satkhira over the past 52 years. Previous governments had a negative attitude toward this district. People here were oppressed. People suffer in transportation due to poor roads. That is why this project has been taken.โ He added that he did not know the expenditure would be so high.
Yet according to LGED, districts with worse roads than Satkhira include Noakhali, Chuadanga, and Kurigram.
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Initially, a Tk29.95 billion (2,995 crore) project was taken for Cumilla, and a Tk36 billon (3,600 crore) project for Satkhira. Later, expenditures were revised to Tk24 billion (2,400 crore) for Cumilla and Tk21.98 billion (2,198 crore) for Satkhira. According to the Planning Commission, the Cumilla project with revised allocation has been resubmitted by the Local Government Ministry and is awaiting approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). After ECNEC approval, work can begin. On the other hand, the Satkhira project has been returned by the Planning Commission and remains with the ministry.
Cumillaโs priority even under the previous government
The LGED project titled โImportant Rural Infrastructure Development in Cumilla Districtโ is scheduled for implementation between 2025 and 2030.
According to the detailed project plan (DPP), the project includes widening and rehabilitation of roads, construction of bridges and culverts, rural road improvement with uniblocks, and development of growth centres or rural markets. The Local Government Ministry claims this work will improve rural living standards, create short- and long-term employment, and boost agriculture and agro-economy.
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Even during the Awami League government ouster in the July uprising, Cumilla received higher allocations for road maintenance and rural infrastructure. In the last five fiscal years, Cumilla topped LGEDโs road maintenance allocation list in three years and ranked third in two fiscal years.
Former Local Government Minister Tajul Islam was from Cumilla (Cumilla-9 constituency: Laksam and Monohorgonj). Former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal was also from Cumilla (Cumilla-10: Sadar Dakshin, Lalmai and Nangolkot). They allegedly exerted influence to secure higher allocations.
According to sources in the Local Government Ministry, in this round, Adviser Asif Mahmud played the main role in securing a separate project for Cumilla outside of regular allocations.
LGED data show that in Muradnagar upazila, Asif Mahmudโs upazila, nearly 107 kilometers of roads need repair. But in terms of road with depilated condition, the upazila ranks fifth, not first. Still, it is receiving the highest allocation (Tk 4.53 billion or 453 crore). Debidwar, where the most roads in terms of length need repair, is receiving Tk 3.38 billion (338 crore). Next are Brahmanpara (Tk 1.35 billion or 135 crore), Barura (Tk 2.26 billion or 226 crore), and Burichang (Tk 1.68 billion or 168 crore). In percentage terms, Brahmanpara has the highest share of roads needing repairโ78%.
According to the national road classification, LGED is responsible for all upazila and union roads. It is also responsible for rural road development and maintenance under the Local Government Ministry.
Separate project underway in Cumilla
Even in the past government, single-district projects were taken. Currently, major rural infrastructure development projects are ongoing in Gopalganj (Tk 18.28 billion or 1,828 crore), Dhaka (Tk 18.10 billion or 1,810 crore), Dinajpur (Tk 17.99 billion or 1,799 crore), Netrokona (Tk 14.28 billion or 1,428 crore), Naogaon (Tk 11 billion or 1,100 crore), and Barishal (Tk 10 billion or 1,000 crore).
Cumilla also has an ongoing single-district project, titled โImportant Rural Infrastructure Development in Greater Cumilla,โ approved in 2017, costing Tk 10.63 billion (1,063 crore). According to LGED, Cumilla has 13 more ongoing projects for rural road and infrastructure development, implemented jointly with other districts. Overall, Cumilla has a larger share of allocations and projects.
On 24 July, in his office, LGEDโs then Chief Engineer Abdur Rashid Mia (retired on 31 August) told Prothom Alo that in the previous government, due to pressure from influential quarters, higher allocations had to be given to certain districts. But that pressure no longer exists, and now allocations are made fairly based on district and upazila needs, he claimed.
However, fairness is not reflected in LGED allocations. Influential districts continue to get more funds.
LGED data show it oversees 372,754 kilometers of roads, of which 42% are paved and 58% unpaved. Currently, 30,000 kilometers of roads are unusable. Around Tk 220 billion (22,000 crore) is needed annually for road repairs nationwide. But the government allocates only about Tk 30 billion (3,000 crore) each year.
In this context, a Tk 24 billion (2,400 crore) project just for Cumilla is unusually large for any district.
LGEDโs Muradnagar Upazila Engineer Kazi Faisal Bari told Prothom Alo in July that proposals had been submitted for 18 bridges under other projects, along with a 257-meter bridge at Panti Bazar. Six large bridges have already been approved.
BNP leadersโ allegations and responses
There are both good and dilapidated roads in Muradnagar. For example, the road in Bhunan Ghar area of the upazila is broken and damaged.
Local resident Arifur Rahman told Prothom Alo that in the past, little development was carried out in the northern upazilas of Cumilla, including Muradnagar. Now, various development works are ongoing in Muradnagar. This is possible because Asif Mahmud became an adviser. He is giving special attention to his upazila, he said.
However, local BNP leaders allege that Adviser Asif Mahmud is using government funds for his own election campaign.
Muradnagar BNP Joint Convener Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan told Prothom Alo that the adviser is allocating government funds but campaigning in his own name. At the inaugurations of roads and facilities, his cousin Obaidul Siddiqui, convenor of Muradnagar unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, whose activities are suspended except for central committee, is present. He tells locals, โThis is a gift from the adviser. Remember him in the future.
Regarding this, Obaidul Siddiqui told Prothom Alo that special allocations were made for ministers and MPs in the past. โIf there is a special allocation for advisers now, why should it be a problem if given to their own upazilas?โ he asked. โWe never said that Asif Mahmud personally carried out the development; everywhere we say it is the governmentโs development.โ
He further said: โI never hinted about Asif Mahmudโs election while inaugurating roads or facilities. BNPโs claims are baseless and slanderous.โ
However, BNP leader Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan said the adviser is also promoting himself using allocations from district councils, upazila councils, and other institutions, not only LGED.
Tk21.98 billion project in Satkhira
A total of Tk21.98 billion (2,198 crore) under the project titled โSatkhira District Rural Infrastructure Developmentโ has been sought from the government funding. If approved, work will be completed by 2030.
The project proposal states that Satkhira leads the country in fish farming. To facilitate the marketing of fish and agricultural products, rural roads must be widened and improved. Also, Satkhira district houses the Bhomra land port. To boost imports and exports, the districtโs road infrastructure must be improved.
According to Satkhira LGEDโs executive engineerโs office information, as of 17 August, the district has 9,294 kilometers of roads, including 3,339 kilometers paved. The rest are unpaved. Repair work is underway on 1,050 kilometers of roads. Out of total paved roads, 62 roads across seven upazilas are severely damaged, totalling 522 kilometers, which is 15.63% of the total roads.
โThis is clearly a conflict of interestโ
LGED gives very small allocations to some districts for road repairs. In the 2024-25 fiscal, the lowest allocations went to Pirojpur (Tk130 million or 13 crore), Khagrachhari (Tk140 million or 14 crore), Jhalakathi (Tk150 billion or 15 crore), Rangamati and Coxโs Bazar (Tk160 million or 16 crore), and Joypurhat (170 million or 17 crore). These are far below the demands. At the same time, special projects are taken in certain districts.
Taking separate projects in oneโs own district ahead of national elections has raised questions. The government currently faces a financial crisis, with low revenue collection. It discourages taking new projects. On 22 September, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said at an event in Dhaka: โWe often talk of increasing allocations for education and health. But where is the money?โ
The government has already halted sales of low-priced oil and sugar through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) outside of family cards due to subsidy shortages.
Meanwhile, the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement, has also been demanding equal distribution of state resources. In a Facebook post on 26 July, after the July march in Brahmanbaria, NCP convener Md Nahid Islam wrote: State facilities must be distributed equally across all districts of Bangladesh.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman told Prothom Alo that taking such projects in the home districts of the adviser and cabinet secretary is clearly a conflict of interest and an abuse of power. When the current local government adviser fought against discrimination last July, was he fighting against authoritarianism only, or also against its practices? That is the question now.
He added: โWe saw such tendencies during authoritarian governments. We expect the interim government to set an example. These two projects should not be approved by ECNEC.โ
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