Rangpur-1 constituency’s member of parliament and opposition chief whip in parliament Mashiur Rahman (Ranga) had a close relation with Rangpur Rampura’s transport worker Abu Bakkar Siddique for four decades. But no love is lost among them.
Abu Bakkar said he discussed with Mashiur Rahman Ranga when he was state minister for rural development and cooperatives back in 2015 about employing his (Abu Bakkar’s) nephew as upazila cooperative officer.
Ranga’s wife Rakiba Nasrin took Tk 600,000 in advance from Abu Bakkar assuring him of managing the job.
During the same time, Abu Bakkar also provides Tk 500,000 in advance for employing his niece Afsana Sharmin as assistant treasurer in Palli Sanchay Bank.
None of them got the jobs and Abu Bakkar did not get the money back.
This correspondent talked with Abu Bakkar at his home on 24 January. He went several times to Ranga’s houses in Dhaka and Rangpur in last five years. Ranga and his wife assured them of returning the money on several occasions. Meanwhile, Ranga’s wife Rakiba Nasrin passed away in February last year.
Abu Bakkar said he wanted the money back visiting Ranga several times after Rakiba Nasrin’s death. Four leaders of Rangpur transport owners association also discussed the matter with Ranga at Rangpur district transport owner association’s office six months ago.
Ranga is the general secretary of Rangpur District Transport Owners Association. Aftab Uz Zaman, joint secretary of the association, testified the veracity of Abu Bakkar’s claim to Prothom Alo on 29 January. He said Ranga wanted to give back Tk 500,000 to Abu Bakkar. But the matter did not see any headway as Ranga expelled from Jatiya Party.
This is not the only allegation against the JaPa leader, many local leaders of Awami League and JaPa made allegations of ‘financial scam’ against him. They alleged that Ranga took money from several persons in name of managing jobs for them in government offices, educational institutions, nationalizing educational institutes and so on. Ranga’s close aides would collect the money. Most of them neither got the coveted jobs nor the money back.
Ranga, an MP of Rangpur-1 (Gangachara) became the opposition chief whip in the eleventh national parliament. He, however, was relieved of all posts including party’s presidium membership on 14 September.
Prothom Alo talked to Ranga on all these allegations. He told this correspondent on 15 February at Rangpur District Transport Owners’ Association office, “Siddique (Abu Bakkar) also told me that he gave his sister-in-law (Rakiba Nasrin) some money. But he does not have any proof. So I doubt if he really gave her the money. I would give him money back if he can bring witness and proof.”
Recruitment-trade in educational institutions
In 2019, vacancies were announced for five posts of class class IV at Kolkondor Takia Sharif Dakhil Madrasa. Barbil union JaPa’s president Aurangzeb (Badsha) was member of the madrasa’s managing committee on behalf of the MP.
Samiul Haque, a resident near the madrasa, alleged he gave Tk 500,000 for job in office assistant post to Aurangzeb and madrasa’s principal Aminul Rahman.
Dilruba Akter gave the duo Tk 300,000 for Aya post and Mizanur Rahman Tk 270,000 for peon posts. But the recruitment did not take place due to some problems during the recruitment circular. Aurangzeb and Aminul are not also giving the money back.
Aurangzeb admitted that the money had been taken from the job seekers. He said the money was taken by the madrasa principal and me at the behest of MP Ranga. He and the principal later went to Ranga’s house in Dhaka and handed him over Tk 1.35 million.
Ranga, however, said Aurangzeb was not included in the committee after it was known that he is taking money from people in name of recruitment. Ranga said taking money from Aurangzeb is out of question.
Meanwhile, the madrasa principal Aminul did not deny taking money. He, however, claimed it is the matter of the MP and Aurangzeb and he has little connection with the deal.
During a visit to Gangachara upazila, it was learnt that Ranga controls everything including recruitments in most of the educational institutes. His family members or close aides are head of the managing committee of important educational institutes. Allegations including recruitment-business are rife against these committees.
Upazila education office sources said a total of 53 recruitments including in head teacher, cleaner, security guard, Aya and lab operator posts.
Making Governing body presidents through DO letter
Teachers, guardians and administrative officers said Ranga makes his close persons presidents of managing committees of higher secondary level educational institutions through DO (Demi Official) letters. For example, upazila JaPa’s former secretary Mahfuzar Rahman (Dulu), a close associate of Ranga, was made president of Thakuradoho School and College. Allegations of recruitment-business in three posts have been surfaced in the institute.
Meanwhile, Ranga binned the allegation of recruitment-manipulation. Ranga said he does not exert any influence at any educational institute since he is not president of any educational institute.
Upazila JaPa’s vice president Ali Asif became Gangachara Senior Alim Madrasa’s president in 2019. He took several lacs of taka from local residents Mizanur Rahman, Quader Hossain and Badal Mia. But they were not recruited. Ali Asif, however, claimed that he has returned the money.
Locals allege that the MP’s assistant personal secretary (APS) Mominur Rahman has been meddling with recruitment and formation managing committees. Apart from Mominur, Ranga’s personal assistant Jakir Hossain, former APS’ Abdur Razzaqe and Shamsul Haque are also allegedly involved with illegal financial dealings including recruitment-manipulation.
Allegation of taking money for school nationalisation
In 2017, a secondary school and a college were nationalised in Gangachara. Ranga allegedly took bribe for nationalizing these two institutions.
Some teachers of Hazi Delowar Hossain Girls High School of Gangachara told Prothom Alo that when the process of nationalisation started, every teacher gave Ranga Tk 40,000 and class IV employees Tk 20,000. In total, Ranga took Tk 1 million from them, but the school was not nationalised.
Ranga denied this allegation too. He claimed he gave DO letters to one secondary school and one collage and both institutes were nationalised.
The teachers of the institute, however, said some of them went to Ranga’s Dhaka house to get the money back. But Ranga did not return the money, and rather asked the teachers to pledge in writing that they would not seek nationalisation of the institute in future.
Asked about the allegation, Ranga said, “It’s out of question.”
Some more allegations
Rafiqul Islam (Nausha) of Motukpur in Gangachara, gave Tk 500,000 for recruitment of his eldest son Raihan Kabir in peon-cum-night guard post in government primary school. Rafiqul said he gave the money by mortgaging a piece of land. Ranga’s wife Rakiba Nasrin took the money at his Rangpur house. Ranga was present there.
His son is yet to get the job, Rafiqul said.
Ranga denied this allegation too.
“I’m MP. Why would they give money to my wife? Let them ask her (deceased) if they really gave her the money,” Ranga said.
Rafiqul, however, claimed that Abdur Razzaqe, Ranga’s APS at that time, was present at the time of transaction.
Golam Rahman of Khalifa Bazar under Mornea union parishad said he sold 13 decimals of land with a semi-pucca house to manage money for government jobs of his son Belal Uddin Ahmed and daughter Salma Begum. Mornea union JaPa’s secretary Rezaul Kabir took Tk 1.2 million from Golam Rahman for managing the jobs. Rezaul told Golam Rahman that Ranga’s wife Rakiba Nasrin took the money. Golam Rahman’s children did not get the jobs.
Locals said Rezaul Kabir died around six months ago and Golam Rahman’s family obstructed his funeral.
Rezaul’s elder brother Shahjahan Kabir claimed Rezaul handed over Tk 2.1 million to MP’s wife Rakiba Nasrin. The money was collected from Golam Rahman and some others assuring them of providing various jobs. Rezaul did not get the money back.
Rangpur District Transport Owners Association’s executive member Atiqur Rahman gave a big sum of money to Ranga for recruitment of four-five relatives of in-laws side. But they did not get the jobs. Ranga said he heard that the money was handed over to his wife Rakiba Nasrin. The MP said he would give the money back if Atiqur can give proof of the dealings.
Atiqur did not want to share these issues in details but said he cannot go to the in-laws house for last seven and half years fearing of getting detained.
He (Ranga) took money from many people in Rangpur, he said.