Online Desk: The ANTI-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formed a two-member committee to investigate allegations of amassing wealth beyond known sources of income against BIWTA Additional Director AKM Arif Uddin. The committee has been formed with Deputy Director (Anu and Investigation-2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Md Hafizul Islam as the head and Assistant Director Subhash Chandra Majumder as members. This information is available from Memorandum No. 00.01.2600.603.01.234.23.32317 issued on 03/09/2023.

According to the information received, the then Joint Director of BIWTA AKM Arif Uddin had shown success in the eviction drive to determine the banks or boundaries of the rivers in and around Dhaka. AKM Arif Uddin, then joint director of BIWTA and control officer of Dhaka River Port, led the operation on the banks of Buriganga, Turag and Shitalakshya from January 29, 2019.

The officer played a brave role from the beginning of the operation. Under his leadership, more than 7,500 illegal structures built illegally on the banks of the four rivers of Dhaka riverport were demolished. These illegal structures were built by the local common people by occupying the river bank and on the banks of the river, as well as many influential people in the role of occupants.

According to reliable sources, Arif Uddin, who is in a visible tough position, took illegal benefits from different groups and individuals behind the scenes. Even the goods and coals he seized during the eviction drive in Narayanganj; At that time, it was alleged that he sold the goods at a higher price but embezzled a huge amount of money by showing less money while depositing the money received in the government treasury.

AKM Arif Uddin has been accused of amassing huge amount of money and illegal wealth while on duty at Narayanganj port and Sadarghat port under BIWTA. In view of this, the ACC has started an investigation. According to acc sources, the acc has sought khatwari details collected as government revenue from Narayanganj port under BIWTA during the period from 01/01/2019 to 31/12/2022 and sadarghat port from 01/01/2020 to 31/12/2022. Besides, the inquiry committee has sought all the personal documents of BIWTA Additional Director AKM Arif Uddin, the details of the salary and allowances raised (from the beginning of his service to June 2023), office orders related to liability, applications for conducting business/ shares in the name of his / wife / children / brothers and all the records related to approval.

In the interest of a fair and impartial investigation of the allegations, the main copy of the records/ documents asked to be preserved and submitted to the Attested Copy to The Deputy Director (Anu and Investigation-2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Md. Hafizul Islam on 08/01/23, but the investigation process is being delayed and disrupted as it has not been provided so far. AKM Arif Uddin is not paying attention to the letter sent by the ACC’s investigative team.

It is to be noted that AKM Arif Uddin is a relative of BNP’s top leader Shimul Biswas. It is also rumored that he always instigated an anti-government group in BIWTA. Arif Uddin is very keen to be associated with whichever chairman comes to BIWTA, said several officials of the organization who did not want to be named. It is known that AKM Arif Uddin was staying in Singapore for some time for the treatment of his son. He recently returned home.

When contacted, Arif Uddin said, “At different times, we removed all illegal structures and freed the river from encroachment by demolishing all illegal structures,” he said when contacted to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of power and amassing wealth beyond known income against BIWTA Additional Director AKM Arif Uddin. Again, I have faced several obstacles and attacks in removing these illegal structures. Despite all this, the web of disgusting conspiracies has been laid out, unable to suppress me. ‘ “On October 30, 2020, I was removed from dhaka river port by a sudden order. Later, he was transferred from Sadarghat to the company’s Motijheel head office.