Surveyor caught to ACC while collecting Tk 100000, demanded Tk 8m bribe

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has detained Mohammad Asadul Islam, a surveyor at the Lalbagh Revenue Circle in Dhaka. The commission confirmed the development in a press release.

According to the ACC, Asadul demanded Tk 8 million (80 lakh) in bribes from an individual in exchange for demarcating a plot of land and completing its mutation.

Following the allegation, the ACC conducted a planned “sting operation” on Tuesday. The commission caught him red-handed while he was collecting a bribe of Tk 100,000.

According to the press release, retired soldier Md Monirul Islam obtained registered irrevocable powers of attorney from the owners of 282 decimals of land in the Charkamrangi mouza under Lalbagh police station in Dhaka district.

On 27 April, he applied to the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner's Office to demarcate the land, distinguish between government-owned and privately owned plots, and prepare a map.

However, the demarcation work remained incomplete even after nearly six months. He contacted the Lalbagh Revenue Circle several times. At one point, he was advised to contact Asadul, a surveyor at the office.

According to the allegations, Asadul demanded Tk 8 million from Monirul in exchange for demarcating the land and completing its mutation. Monirul subsequently reported the matter to the ACC.

The ACC said in its press release that, after conducting a preliminary investigation into the allegation of bribery, it decided to carry out a “sting operation”.

A special team from the commission conducted the planned operation on Tuesday. At one stage, the team caught Asadul red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Tk 100,000.

The ACC said it was preparing to file a case against Asadul in connection with the incident. Legal procedures are under way to produce him before a court.