Shahin Alam, an Inspector of the Postagola Fire Service Station in the capital, has become the owner of an eight-storey building just in eight years.
He took only 24 months to complete the construction work of the building. It is learnt that Shahin Alam and his wife Morzina Alam, also a policewoman, bought 4 decimals of land near the Dhaka-Tangail highway at Tk 36.50 lakh.
Land sellers Saiful Islam and Salim said that they sold a piece of land to the couple four years back. The buyer has filled the land with earth after buying it. Neighbour Asad said that a police officer working at the Gazipur District Judges Court and an officer of the fire service own the building. It took them two years to complete the construction work of the building, he added.
Firoz, the caretaker of the house, who joined his job two years ago with a salary of Tk 20,000 per month, said that apart from residential flats, the building also houses two organisations namely ‘Modhumati Agro Feed and Hatcheries Bangladesh Limited’ and ‘RDRS Bangladesh’.
It is learnt that Shahin Alam, a resident of Guthuri village in Sriphaltali area, used to live in a rented house with his wife and two children since early 2016. Now sometimes he comes here to buy land but stays at Sriphaltali.
It is alleged that he has bought a flat in Dhaka and built a building at Kaliakoir in Gazipur through various irregularities and corruption.
Postagola traders alleged that Shahin Alam took bribe for warehouse or workshop licence, and residential/commercial multi-storey building clearance.
He uses personal mobile number for any transaction. Service receivers complain that he is unavailable for any service with the contact number given on the website of the department.
According to fire service sources, Shahin Alam started making a buck when he was a warehouse inspector at Joydebpur fire station in Gazipur. During the factory inspection, he collected huge sums of money by threatening the businessmen.
Bangabazar businessmen alleged that on April 4, 2023, miscreants attacked and vandalised the office of Fire Service and Civil Defence after the fire incident at Bangabazar. Later, Shahin Alam filed a case against 200-300 unnamed businessmen with Bangshal police station in connection with vandalism, looting and arson attack. The affected businessmen claim that Shahin took a large sum of money from them threatening that if they don’t give money, the case would be filed against them.
Shop owners complained that Shahin Alam filed a case against them to cover up the negligence of fire fighters. Later, an investigation committee was formed and asked to submit a report on arson attack.
When contacted, Shahin Alam denied the allegation brought against him, saying that he had no property. “There is no allegation of extortion against me,” he claimed.
He also asked the reporter to write whatever he wanted and continued to threaten him.
When asked about corruption of officials and accumulation of wealth in illegal way, Mohammad Mozammel Haque, Director (Administration and Finance) of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said if any official is found involved in criminal activities, legal action will be taken against them.
Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said that the common people get service from Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence. The contact number at the fire station is open to all.
He said that legal action will be taken against the fire officers and employees if found involved in unethical and criminal activities. “If you have any complaint against Shahin Alam, file them in written,” he added.
