DSCC spends millions on fuel despite 40-day closure
The activities at Nagar Bhaban, the headquarters of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), remained suspended for 40 days due to protests demanding that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Ishraque Hossain be handed over the mayor’s responsibilities.
During this period, many officials of DSCC did not attend office even for a single day. Yet, records show that 14-15 litres of fuel per day were spent on the vehicles allocated for them.
Questions have been raised, where this fuel went despite the office remaining closed, by many within the DSCC itself.
According to DSCC’s accounts, the organisation spends around Tk 50 million (Tk 5 crore) on fuel every month. An analysis of expenditure records from April, May, and June shows that even though the Nagar Bhaban remained closed for 40 days in May and June, fuel consumption was almost the same as regular times. In reality, however, there was practically no office activity during this period.
Analysts have said that such practices are not just irregularities, but direct corruption and waste of state resources. They note that such large-scale irregularities in a taxpayer-funded institution are a blatant reflection of a lack of transparency and accountability.
Administrator of Dhaka south city, Md Shahjahan Mia told Prothom Alo, “If anyone has had fuel issued without attending office, it is simply wrong. I will look into it if there are such issues.”
An analysis of expenditure records from April, May, and June shows that even though the Nagar Bhaban remained closed for 40 days in May and June, fuel consumption was almost the same as normal times. In reality, however, there was practically no office activity during this period.
Vehicles unused, where did the fuel go?
Service operations at the Nagar Bhaban remained suspended for 40 days, from 14 May to 23 June this year, due to protests by BNP leaders, activists and some city corporation staff demanding that Ishraque Hossain be handed over responsibility as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.
Records show that the SUV used by Khairul Baker, supervising engineer of DSCC’s Environment, Climate and Disaster Management Circle, consumed 15 litres of fuel every day during this time. Calculations reveal that over the 40 days when Nagar Bhaban was closed, the vehicle used 600 litres of fuel, costing around Tk 61,200.
Driver of that vehicle, Kamrul Hasan told Prothom Alo, “We didn’t go out every day during the protests, only when Sir needed to.” Yet the corporation’s transport department reported that the vehicle averages 8 kilometres per litre of fuel.
By that standard, the records suggest the vehicle was travelling 120 kilometres a day on 15 litres of fuel. The question remains, where was this daily 120-kilometre journey made when the Nagar Bhaban was shut?
If anyone has had fuel issued without attending office, it is simply wrong. I will look into it if there are such issues.Md Shahjahan Mia, administrator of Dhaka South city Corporation
Three officials from the city corporation’s engineering department said that Khairul Baker did not come to the Nagar Bhaban at all during the protests.
In fact, due to his involvement in Awami League politics, he has been attending office irregularly since 5 August last year. Attempts by Prothom Alo to reach him went unanswered, neither his phone calls were picked up, nor did he respond to questions sent via WhatsApp messages.
The question becomes stronger when it is found that Mohammad Mobasher Hasan, chief officer for Social Welfare and Slum Development, also claimed 560 litres of fuel in total at the rate of 14 litres per day over the same period, costing the corporation Tk 57,120.
He argued that although the Nagar Bhaban was closed, he had to attend offices at Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) Bhaban, the Secretariat and the Employees’ Hospital, hence the fuel consumption.
However, internal sources within the corporation stated that there were no alternative setups for running regular office outside the Nagar Bhaban during the protests. Only a handful of urgent meetings were held at the Secretariat and the WASA Bhaban.
Service operations at the Nagar Bhaban remained suspended for 40 days, from 14 May to 23 June this year, due to protests by BNP leaders, activists and some city corporation staff demanding that Ishraque Hossain be handed over responsibility as mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.
Office closed yet expenditure same
According to reliable sources at the Dhaka South City Corporation, the organisation spends around Tk 50 million (Tk 5 crore) on fuel every month. Yet, an analysis of expenditure records from April, May, and June shows that despite the 40-day closure of offices during the protests, fuel consumption remained the same as in previous months.
Data from the DSCC mechanical division shows that officials at the organisation are using 91 cars and 101 motorcycles at present. In addition, there are 418 other vehicles, including those deployed for waste management. In total, the organisation operates 610 vehicles for officers, employees, waste management and eviction drives.
The figures indicate that the corporation spends about Tk 50 million (Tk 5 crore) on fuel each month, amounting to more than Tk 600 million (Tk 60 crore) being spent annually on these vehicles for fuel alone.
Three officials of the city corporation, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said that much of this fuel use exists only “on paper.” They claimed that most officials use government vehicles for personal uses as well.
So, they often get extra fuel allocations approved to keep the drivers happy and the drivers sell that fuel later. The money coming from this excess fuel, they alleged, is pocketed by both the drivers and the officials responsible for issuing the fuel.
Exemplary accountability must be ensured for those involved in this collusive, unlawful, unethical and fraudulent misappropriation of public money. None of those who directly benefited going beyond the rules as well as those involved with official processing and approving of such criminal activities are above accountability.When asked IIftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
Fuel issuers’ role also questionable
Allegations of irregularities have been raised against the official responsible for fuel management and allocation at the Dhaka South City Corporation. Several officials within the corporation claimed that when officers requested extra fuel, the issuing officer approved the allocations without verification.
In reality, however, not all of the allocated fuel is used rather some is allegedly sold off. In this process, drivers reportedly profit financially, while the fuel issuing officer is also accused of receiving a share of the proceeds. As a result, a collusive cycle has developed that is draining the corporation financially.
For example, the transport division of the corporation determines how much fuel the DSCC administrator can use every month. Records for June show that 855 litres of fuel were allocated for the administrator’s vehicle.
The current administrator of Dhaka South City Md Shahjahan Mia also serves as the managing director of Dhaka WASA and as additional secretary at the development wing under the Local Government Division. Holding important positions simultaneously at three separate organisations entitles him to the use of three vehicles.
When informed that more than 800 litres of fuel were being allocated every month to the City Corporation administrator’s car, Shahjahan Mia told Prothom Alo that he did not use the corporation’s vehicle on a full-time basis.
Later, when contacted the car’s driver Shah Alam, he said that the fuel had been used during official duties indeed. When asked whether he sold any of the fuel and shared the proceeds with transport officials, he denied the allegation.
Internal sources within the corporation stated that there were no alternative setups for running regular office outside the Nagar Bhaban during the protests. Only a handful of urgent meetings were held at the Secretariat and the WASA Bhaban.
On paper, the officer in charge of issuing fuel for corporation vehicles is Md Arif Chowdhury, transport manager of the Central Transport Pool. When asked about the irregularities, he told Prothom Alo that he had been busy due to the protests.
So, another supervisor issued the fuel and he just signed off on the final bill. He added that it was not possible for him alone to verify whether all the fuel issued to officials was used properly.
When contacted, Mamun Uddin Ahmed, supervisor (bus terminal) later, he claimed that majority of the corporation officials attended office during the closure. For that reason, fuel had still been issued, he added.
Exemplary accountability must be ensured
Experts believe such incidents are not just irregularities they are a symptom of the long-standing lack of accountability and monitoring in government institutions.
They argue that without responsible behaviour and transparency in these tax-funded organisations, corruption will only deepen further. This case once again exposes how acute the absence of transparency and accountability is in public institutions.
When asked Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), he told Prothom Alo, “Exemplary actions must be ensured for those involved in this collusive, unlawful, unethical and fraudulent misappropriation of public money.”
“None of those who directly benefited going beyond the rules as well as those involved with official processing and approving of such criminal activities are above accountability,” he added. He also believes, a proper investigation into the matter is essential.