CCC: Officials recruited as labourer promoted to engineer or tax collector flouting rules

In Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), several employees were appointed as labourers and then, bypassing the rules, were promoted to positions like Sub-Assistant Engineer, Tax Collector, Road Supervisor, Permit Inspector, and Accounts Assistant. No job circulars were issued in this recruitment and promotion process, nor were any written or oral tests conducted.

These irregularities took place during the last two years of the ousted Awami League government, when Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary of Chattogram Awami League, served as mayor.

He took office on 15 February 2021 and was removed by the interim government on 19 August last year after the government’s fall on 5 August. He has been in hiding since.

There is no reliable data on exactly how many were hired during Rezaul Karim Chowdhury’s three and a half years as mayor. However, CCC has prepared a list of 188 people hired during his last two years. That list shows that at least 64 were promoted straight from labourer to higher-grade positions.

According to CCC’s organogram, the labourer post is in the 20th grade. From there, people were appointed to 10th-grade positions like Sub-Assistant Engineer and to 16th-grade positions like Tax Collector or Permit Inspector. The necessary procedures were not followed for such promotions.

Several CCC officials said that these recruitments were done on recommendations from the then mayor, ward councillors, some officials, and labor leaders. Close associates were given jobs without tests, and later they were placed in lucrative and important positions.

Current mayor Shahadat Hossain told Prothom Alo, “No rules were followed in these recruitments and promotions. Some people took the job and didn’t even show up at work. We are now trying to bring things back in line. Anyone absent for seven consecutive working days without permission is being terminated.”

According to CCC sources, one key reason for hiring laborers on a daily-wage basis was to create an opportunity to hire without any circular.  For it is mandatory to publish circular, take examinations and form boards for temporary recruitment in other posts. So without issuing any circulars, candidates of their choice were hired as labourers and then promoted to higher posts.

CCC documents show that the number of posts in the city is 4,226. But a total of 9,289 people are now employed with CCC, 5063 more than approved.

Md Rokonuzzaman joined as a laborer of the CCC on 18 June, 2023. On the very day he joined, he was appointed as Lab In-Charge (Sub-Assistant Engineer) at the Sagarika Testing Lab. Rokonuzzaman has a diploma in civil engineering and later completed a bachelor’s degree in the same field.

Another person, Rashid Ahmed, was hired on 7 September 2023. Just 19 days after joining, he was transferred to the electrical branch as a Sub-Assistant Engineer. He holds a diploma as well.

Zahedul Ahsan, who passed HSC, was hired as a laborer on 31 January last year. Seventeen days after being hired, on 18 February, he was made a Sub-Assistant Engineer. Similarly, SM Rafiul Haque Moniri became a Sub-Assistant Engineer just 14 days after being hired as a laborer.

When asked, Rashid Ahmed admitted that he was hired without any written or oral test. SM Rafiul Haque Moniri said he is doing his job as per the appointment given by the authorities, though at first he did not realise he was being hired as a labourer. Zahedul Ahsan hung up the call saying he was busy in a meeting.

According to the CCC Employee Regulations 2019, there are two ways to appoint a Sub-Assistant Engineer—direct recruitment or promotion. Of these, 20 per cent of posts are to be filled through promotion and 80 per cent through direct recruitment. A candidate must serve 12 years in positions like Road Supervisor or Lighting Inspector to be eligible for promotion. According to a senior CCC official, none of these conditions were met in the cases of these four individuals.

According to CCC officials, allegations of bribery and irregularities are rife against officials of posts in the revenue circle, including tax collectors. Because of these “opportunities,” many are eager to get into these positions. Among the laborers hired during the former mayor’s tenure, at least 21 became tax collectors and five became permit inspectors. They are now working in the revenue circle.

In addition, 15 became road supervisors under the engineering department. One became an assistant programmer, two birth registration assistants, 13 office assistants or support staff, one storekeeper, one accounts assistant, and one ward secretary.

CCC Secretary Mohammad Ashraful Amin told Prothom Alo, “Most of the old documents cannot be found. But from the documents we can avail, it’s clear that laborers were appointed and then promoted to other posts in violation of regulations. This is now under investigation.”

Mohammad Firoz Mia, a recruitment process expert and former additional secretary, said, “This is a serious irregularity. It is an example of nepotism and denial of people’s rights. The city corporation is run with public funds. If transparency is lacking in recruitment, ordinary people lose out on job opportunities.”