Staff Reporter:
Former Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Atiqul Islam’s assistant personal secretary (APS) Farid Uddin and personal assistant (PA) Rishad Morshed were involved in business dealings with the city corporation, reflecting a clear conflict of interests.
DNCC officials alleged that the duo had been exerting pressure on them to award contracts to specific companies and inflate cost estimates for various items.
Documents obtained from the DNCC indicate that the former mayor’s APS Farid Uddin and personal assistant Rishad Morshed formed a network with friends, relatives, and journalists to secure work contracts through improper influence.
Many of these contracts, awarded under the request for quotation method, were reportedly collusive. DNCC officials further claimed that the duo took commissions from contractors by facilitating project approvals and bill payments.
One document highlighted that DNCC’s waste management department was used to distribute awareness leaflets to residents during Eid-ul-Azha annually.
In 2019, a company named Snowball Communication, led by Enamul Kabir—a friend of Rishad Morshed—was awarded a Tk4.70 lakh contract. In 2023, a similar contract worth Tk4.89 lakh was given to RR Trading Corporation, owned by former Titumir College vice-president Raeis Uddin. In 2024, the Tk4.96 lakh printing job went to JS Trading Corporation, owned by Md Salah Uddin.
Raeis Uddin stated, “I am primarily a civil contractor. I took the printing contract on behalf of Morshed, who runs a printing business. He managed the work through us and received the payment.” An investigation by the Daily Sun found that Morshed owns Shuru Printing, which has been used to secure multiple contracts from DNCC.
In March 2024, RR Trading Corporation was awarded a Tk23.98 lakh contract for decoration work at an Iftar event in front of Nagar Bhaban without competitive quotations.
According to the official cost estimate, a one-month rent for a waterproof tarpaulin was Tk10 lakh, while a jute sheet was priced at Tk7 lakh – rates at which DNCC could have acquired around 10 similar items.
The cost estimation committee included five members – Executive Engineer Nuruzzman Khan (convener), Assistant Store and Purchase Officer Rahat Al Faysal (member secretary), Assistant Town Planner Rimon Ahmed Asif, Assistant Maintenance Engineer JuborazSarker, and Social Welfare Officer Mujahid Al Safid. Each committee member received an honourarium of Tk1,000.
Asked, admitting their involvement, the convener of the official cost-estimating committee, Nuruzzman Khan said, “We had to comply with many directives from the mayor’s office. The estimate was prepared by the contractor, and we simply signed it.”
The DNCC awarded a contract worth Tk48.85 lakh for supplying iftar items during the 30 days of Ramadan to Sadeeq Agro, owned by controversial businessman Imran Ahmed. Raeis confirmed that the work was managed by Rishad Morshed.
According to DNCC officials, the former assistant personal secretary to the mayor was involved in event management for DNCC through various shell companies.
To commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the DNCC organised a pop-up event, promotional campaign, and branding activities valued at Tk31.38 lakh, awarding the contract to Blues Communication, located at 3,880 Solmaid under Vatara in Dhaka.
Although its trade license is listed in the name of one Farhadul Islam, DNCC officials stated that Farid Uddin managed the operations.
Additionally, Mainspring Ltd was awarded a contract worth Tk14.65 lakh for an exhibition on Bangabandhu at Justice Shahabuddin Park. Although the trade license listed Farhadul Islam as the owner, Farid Uddin was reportedly behind its business operations.
Also, Farid Uddin led a group of journalists who conducted business with the DNCC. The journalists had opened a company, named Tribhuj, through their relatives.
According to a document from the DNCC’s social welfare and slum development department, Tribhuj secured at least six contracts worth approximately Tk1 crore.
Notably, in 2022, the company was awarded contracts totaling Tk49.11 lakh for organising events on National Mourning Day, including candle lighting, cultural programmes, gifts distribution, and other activities in front of the National Parliament.
Tribhuj also received contracts worth Tk48 lakh for branding work related to the Padma Bridge in the same year.
An official of the city corporation’s social welfare and slum development department noted that the journalists and their relatives did not visit DNCC, but Farid Uddin handled bill collections through intermediaries.
Contacted, Farid Uddin denied involvement in any business and said he only oversaw the management of programmes.
He said, “Owner of Blues Communication and Mainspring, Forhadul was close to the mayor’s nephew Toufiq and former prime minister’s nephew RadwanMujibSiddiq. When top bosses are involved with the businesses, how can I take money from it?”
Asked about his involvement in artwork at Moghbazar, which engineers’ say was his contract, he said, “This contract was taken by Chhatra League leader Raeis. I was not involved with it. I was just behind all the arrangements of the work. I did not take any money from it.”
However, a number of officials from social welfare and slum development, engineering, office of the secretary and other departments said he had the involvement in dealing with the contract.
Efforts to contact Rishad Morshed for his comments regarding the matter were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.
When asked, the DNCC’s chief executive officer said, “We are serious about addressing these irregularities. I will investigate the matter and take appropriate action.”
Talking to the Daily Sun, Transparency International Bangladesh’s Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman emphasised the need for exemplary punishment for those involved in the crime to deter future offences.
“The APS and PA alone cannot commit such a major crime; they require support from the mayor and other high-ranking officials. If these allegations are proven true, everyone involved must face consequences. We need to set an example to ensure that future leaders are discouraged from similar misconduct,” he stated.
He added, “The committee responsible for estimating official costs must also be held accountable if they colluded with the contractor to inflate the costs. Such actions are typically done for the contractor’s benefit.”
