DHAKA, April 15, 2025 (BSS)- The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed eight cases over the embezzlement of TK  1,079,04,93,839 without implementing various development projects under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Pirojpur.

So far, five accused have been arrested in connection with the cases.

The accused include former Member of Parliament Md. Mohiuddin Maharaj, (Pirojpur-2) , former LGED chief engineers Md. Ali Akhtar Hossain and Md. Abdur Rashid Khan, former executive engineer Md. Abdus Sattar Howlader, along with 27 others— comprising officials and contractors associated with the District Accounts and Finance Office.

The eight cases were lodged at the ACC's integrated district office in Pirojpur.

The ACC revealed this during a regular press briefing held at ACC headquarters on Thursday, where Director General of ACC Akhtar Hossain read out the  written statement.

According to the ACC, while multiple development projects totalling hundreds of crores of Taka were undertaken in different upazilas of Pirojpur district between the fiscal years 2018–19 and 2023–24. In most instances the accused embezzled the allocated funds without carrying out any actual work.

The ACC report also showed that under the Iron Bridge Rehabilitation project in the Southern Region of the Country, TK  277 crore 57 lakh 98 thousand was spent against 128 schemes; the Rural Road Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project affected by cyclone Amphan and Floods involved 64 schemes with an allocation of TK  206 crore 60 lakh 55 thousand, the Pirojpur District Rural Infrastructure Development Project covered 31 schemes costing TK 90 crore 86 lakh 19 thousand, and 118 schemes under the Important Upazila and Union Roads widening  of Barisal Division project had an allocation of TK  408 crore 57 lakh 89 thousand 400.

Despite these large allocations, no actual work was carried out. Additionally, two schemes under the Upazila Town (Non-Municipal) Master Plan and Basic Infrastructure project—allocated Tk 3 crore 73 lakh 58 thousand also remained unimplemented.

Furthermore, the ACC suspected embezzlement of nearly TK 91 crore in three other projects.

The eight cases were officially filed on April 15.

The accused arrested in all the cases are - Accountant (temporarily suspended) of the Executive Engineer's Office of Pirojpur LGED AKM Mozammel Haque Khan, District Accounts and Finance Officer Mohammad Mohsin, SAS Super of the District Accounts and Finance Office Mohammad Masum Howlader, former District Accounts and Finance Officer (now retired), Mohammad Alamgir Hasan and a contractor ( identity is underway).

ACC said that the operation to arrest the remaining accused is underway.