Assaulted director no longer wants to work at CCC

The assaulted director of the Tk 25 billion development project of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) is no longer interested in discharging his duties in Chattogram.

The 'mentally devastated' director, Golam Yeazdani, who was attacked by a group of contractors on Sunday at his office in Chattogram for not offering contracts, will take his decision after talking to his family and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) high-ups.

The project director, who is now staying at his home in Dhaka, told this to Prothom Alo on Wednesday evening. He works at CCC office on Wednesday and Thursday and the remaining weekdays at LGED in Dhaka.  

A case was filed on Sunday night with Khulshi police station over the incident, mentioning the names of 10 contractors with five to 10 unnamed. Of the accused, four were arrested, including three contractors, and put behind bars.

The correspondent found the project director office at Tiger Pass closed with his broken nameplate lying on the ground during a spot visit on Wednesday afternoon.

While visiting the office, the correspondent met the director’s assistant, Tilok Singha, who said, "Sir (director) hasn’t attended the office today (Wednesday). And the possibility of his attendance at the office tomorrow (Thursday) is minimal. I talked several times to him over the phone. He is undergoing treatment at home in Dhaka."       

Golam Yeazdani, the executive engineer of LGED, was appointed by the local government division on 14 August last year as project director to oversee a Tk 25 billion project for developing different vital infrastructures and roads of the city, including airport road. 

He dropped several contractors at the first phase of the development project worth Tk 2.2 billion -- an action that enraged the contractors. The contractors tried to reach Golam Yeazdani through various conduits, but to no avail as he didn't pay heed to them, resulting in the attack.

Golam Yeazdani told Prothom Alo that "I am mentally devastated. I am no longer interested in working there (CCC). I am enjoying my leave now."

When asked about the further steps, the engineer said he will decide after consulting with the LGED high-ups whom he termed 'sir'. "I will also talk to my family."

The chief executive officer of CCC, Sheikh Mohammad Towhidul Islam, told Prothom Alo that he is communicating with the project director regularly, who has taken leave for a few days.

However, the CCC's chief engineer, Rafiqul Islam, said they are unaware of his unwillingness to work with the city corporation.

The scenario of the city corporation office has been changed after the project director came under attack. Now, the visitors, who wish to meet any official or stop by any department, are required to sign in at the main entrance of the office.

The account section is on the 5th floor of the building -- a place once buzzing with the movement of contractors and the representatives of the contract firms. But the scenario changed utterly after Sunday. Only a few contractors were seen visiting the office. 

Requesting to be unnamed, three officials of the account section told Prothom Alo that they don’t have the pressure of work right now. The coming and going of the contractors at the office has reduced significantly.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online edition, has been rewritten in English by NH Sajjad