There have been allegations of widespread irregularities in the rural infrastructure TR Kabikha Kabita project in Baushi Union of Barhatta Upazila of the district. Even the UP members themselves are confessing to illegal transactions of huge amounts, expressing distrust in the Union Parishad Chairman.

It has been learned that the UP members have committed irregularities in the implementation of projects allocated to Baushi Union under the Rural Infrastructure Maintenance (TR-Cash) program in the fiscal year 2024-25. They are busy raising bills without doing proper work, and are busy running around trying to raise bills. Among the projects, 1,80,000 taka has been allocated for the construction of a road from Barhatta Road to Baushi Tanvir’s pond, 1,18,100 taka has been allocated for the construction of dustbins for waste management in Baushi Bazar, and 1,15,000 taka has been allocated for the repair of the road from the north side of Shasnaura village to the primary school and filling the school field, but the UP members, the presidents of the project committees, have raised the bills with nominal work.

When asked about this, Yasmin Akhter, a female UP member of Wards 1, 2 and 3 of Baushi Union, said that she has worked fairly well on the projects she has received, but she has been a little careless in the construction of dustbins for Baushi Bazar waste management and the Shasnaura School project is being delayed due to various problems. There are irregularities in work, but you get the bill first than everyone else, and even the most projects are allocated in your name, which is a complaint of other UP members. When asked what her opinion is on this matter, she said that everyone has received more or less work. PIOs and UNOs pay bills after seeing them. And there is a cost to bill.

Another UP member, Aynal Haque, said that Chairman Shamsul Haque does not give them any allocation. He gives all the allocation to Yasmin Akhter. He even names them in various projects without informing them, just by using their voter ID. Regarding this, all the UP members recently filed a no-confidence motion against the Chairman at the UNO office before Eid. Later, the UP members withdrew the complaint after receiving 10,000 taka per person.

Regarding this, Baushi Union Parishad Chairman Shamsul Haque said, “I know that the members filed complaints and later withdrew them. If the work is bad, they will not get the bill.”

When asked about this, Barhatta Upazila Executive Officer Khabirul Ahsan said, “We have already checked and blocked the bills of the projects in which irregularities have occurred. More checks are underway. If we find irregularities, we will not pay the bills. The UP members later withdrew the vote of no confidence against Chairman Shamsul Haque. It is not my business to see whether there was any money transaction here.”