M Rezaul Islam, Naogaon:
Aggrieved women formed a human chain and protested against LGED’s upazila engineer Shaidur Rahman Mia in Manda of Naogaon. The victims held this program demanding a fair investigation and trial against the engineer in front of the upazila parishad gate around 12 noon on Sunday. Later, they staged a protest march in front of the office of the Upazila Engineer.
Altafunnesa Alta, a victim of the LCS project, led the human chain. Meanwhile, the victimized women and their relatives participated in the human chain.
Sonia Simu, an apprentice lawyer, Altafunnesa Alta of LCS project, Sharifun Bewa, Kajal Rekha, Payara Begum and Angur Begum of RERMP-3 project spoke at the human chain.
The victims of the human chain said that under the umbrella of engineer Shaidur Rahman Miya, through the supervisor (CO) Abul Qasem, he extorted Tk 50,000 to 80,000 per person from 26 people in the name of giving them jobs in RERMP-2 and 3 and LCS projects. Later, the engineers and supervisors protested in different ways without giving them jobs.
On the other hand, engineer Shaidur Rahman Mia’s supervisor Abul Qasem used to pay 10 months salary instead of 12 months salary to women workers in RERMP-2 and 3 and LCS projects. CO Abul Qasem used to keep 1000 rupees in his pocket after withdrawing the salary and deliver the money to the house of women workers. The women victims of the human chain have strongly demanded the removal and punishment of the corrupt official Shaidur Rahman Mia.
The victim, Altafunnesa Alta, said that the supervisor Abul Kasem took 50 thousand taka from me to get the work done in the project. But did not return that money. Didn’t even work. I gave money to poor people with a lot of difficulty. I want them to be judged.
Another victim Sadhana Rani said, engineer Shaidur Rahman and supervisor Abul Kasem took 50 thousand taka from me. I paid that money in installments from the NGO. I run my family by begging. Husband is also sick. I thought if I get the job, I won’t have to beg anymore. But he didn’t work, he threatened in various ways when he asked for money. Never thought we would be cheated like this. We want its fair trial.
However, LGED’s upazila engineer Shaidur Rahman Mia denied these allegations and said that an investigation committee has been formed on the matter. Supervisor Abul Kasem has been suspended. The allegations against him are not true.
