Alimuzzaman : Satinath Basak, a former Chhatra League leader and the former Superintendent Engineer of Dhaka’s Public Works Department (PWD) Circle-2, has been accused of amassing a fortune worth thousands of crores of taka through rampant corruption, tender manipulation, and irregularities during his tenure. Now Satinath Bosak has been made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Purta Bhaban at Segun Bagicha. Basak allegedly engaged in these activities for four consecutive years under the current government. According to sources, Basak, a known Chhatra League leader, was appointed Superintendent Engineer in 2020, shortly after the fascist government’s third consecutive victory in the 2018 elections. Initially posted in Khulna, he was soon transferred to the Dhaka Public Works Circle-2, where his involvement in corrupt practices deepened.

 One notable instance of corruption occurred during the construction of residential flats for government employees at the Abu Jar Gifari University College grounds. Basak, alongside Executive Engineer Md. Mahbub and the contractor company Desh Unnayan Ltd., allegedly fabricated false bills and embezzled crores of taka. The substandard quality of the construction work was exposed in a subsequent report by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED). When Executive Engineer Mahbub refused to approve payments to the contractor after the project deadline expired, Basak, who was also the project director, extended the project by one year, further enabling the misappropriation of funds. Documents reportedly show that both officials embezzled significant sums through fake billing for repair works in the Purta Bhaban during the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

Basak’s corruption allegedly extended to religious and legal institutions as well, including tender manipulation for construction projects at High Court shrines, mosques, and Bar Council buildings. He reportedly earned crores by awarding tenders to select contractors in exchange for kickbacks. In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Basak is said to have allowed Dhaka Public Works Division-4 to invite tenders for 70 percent of the Annual Procurement Plan (APP) work through the OTM (Open Tendering Method) system, on the condition that a 10 percent commission be paid. His reputation as “Mr. 10 Percent” has since become widely known within the Directorate.

Basak also leveraged his influence within Awami League’s professional organization, the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), where he was elected without opposition. Dhaka Public Works Circle-2 became a refuge for former members of the Chhatra League, Jubo League, Sechchasebak League, and other Awami-affiliated groups. Basak’s wealth is rumored to include a 2,000 sq. ft. flat in Dhaka’s Eskaton area, another 2,000 sq. ft. flat in Sector 9 of Uttara, and a six-storey house in Sector 14 of Uttara. Additionally, he is said to own 5 acres of land for a resort in Bhaluka, Mymensingh.

Further allegations point to Basak’s involvement in the Dhaka Medical College public works project, where he allegedly took a 10 percent commission on the contractor’s 500-bed improvement project, leading to wasteful expenditure of government funds. He also reportedly secured lucrative contracts at Mugda Medical College and the Bangladesh Secretariat for companies such as Padma, NDE, and Kusholi Nirmata, from which he earned significant commissions. Reports also suggest that Basak has ties with Dilip Agarwala, a Hundi businessman and the owner of Diamond World, enabling the illegal transfer of crores of taka to India. Efforts to contact Satinath Basak for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls.