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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday conducted an operation at the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) over allegations of irregularities and corruption in mosquito-control and household waste collection activities.
The allegations include collusion among contractors, laboratory officials and locally influential individuals to embezzle large amounts of public money. Similar allegations have also been raised against the Dhaka North City Corporation.
A five-member ACC team, led by Assistant Director Mehedi Musa Jebin and Deputy Assistant Director Habibur Rahman, was conducting the operation, ACC Public Relations Officer Md Aktarul Islam said.
He said the commission would provide details after the operation.
According to the allegations, a company named The Limit Agro was blacklisted by the Dhaka North City Corporation in 2011 and 2019 for allegedly supplying adulterated insecticides.
It is alleged that Mizanur Rahman, described as the alleged mastermind of the syndicate, later opened a new company, Forward International, and began securing contracts from the DSCC.
Over the past two years, the company allegedly received three work orders worth Tk48 crore to supply insecticides to the DSCC.
The complaint alleges that although genuine insecticides are shown during laboratory testing, kerosene is allegedly sprayed during field-level fogging, resulting in the embezzlement of crores of taka. It also contains allegations of bribery involving storekeepers and accounts officials of the city corporation’s mosquito-control department.
The ACC operation also covers allegations of extortion and irregularities in household waste collection.
Under DSCC rules, collectors can charge a maximum of Tk100 per flat. However, residents in areas including Dhanmondi, Azimpur, Kathalbagan, Kayetuli and Jatrabari are allegedly being charged Tk120 to Tk250, while businesses are reportedly charged up to Tk1,000.
The complaint further alleges that legitimate contractors who secured waste-collection work through tenders after depositing substantial security money were intimidated, assaulted and forced out of contracts through political influence.
It also alleges that the DSCC is involved in an annual waste-collection business worth crores of taka through unauthorized charges.