DHAKA, Dec 8, 2025 (BSS) - The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) today filed a case against former chairman of Bangladesh Bridge Authority and former minister Obaidul Quader and 13 others over allegations of allocating flats to government officials and influential persons on the land acquired for resettling those affected by the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project.

Director General of the Anti graft body Md. Akhtar Hossain disclosed this information during its regular media briefing at the commission’s headquarters here. ACC Assistant Director Khorshed Alam has been assigned as the complainant to file the case. 

The others accused of the case are- former senior secretary of the bridge division
Khandaker Anwarul Islam, former secretary of the road transport and highways division Md. Nazrul Islam, former secretary of the public security division of the home ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin, former secretary of the power division Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, former secretary of the ministry of land Md. Abdul Jalil, former secretary of the ministry of water resources Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan, former finance secretary and former comptroller and auditor general (CAG) Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, former senior secretary of the legislative and parliamentary affairs division Mohammad Shahidul Haque, former secretary and member of the Prime Minister’s Office and Planning Commission Ms. Juena Aziz, former secretary of the ministry of railways Md. Mofazzel Hossain, former senior secretary of the economic relations division Kazi Shofiqul Azam, former secretary of the ministry of defence Akhtar Hossain Bhuiyan, former chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and former secretary Dr Abu Hena Md. Rahmatul Muneem. 

According to the ACC, although 40 acres of land were acquired for rehabilitating those affected by the Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP project, it was later used to construct housing for employees of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority and other departments under a 99-year lease. 

The documents stated that this was carried out without prior approval from the ministry of land as required by section 19(1) of the land acquisition act- 2017an action deemed unlawful.

Additionally, under section 13(2) of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority Act, 2016, only temporary leases are permitted. However, in its 106th and 107th board meetings, the authority approved the ‘Policy-2018 for granting long-term leases of flats constructed for permanent employees of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority and other related departments and projects.” 

The ACC noted that the mandatory requirement of publishing a government gazette for this policy was ignored.
They alleged that the accused people formulated an unlawful policy and thereby committed offences punishable under sections 409, 420 and 109 of the Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.