Local people are being deprived of civic services as eight members of No. 3 Haldia Palong Union Parishad (UP) under Ukhia upazila in Cox's Bazar have brought allegations of irregularities and corruption against the UP chairman.
Eight UP members, including Chhenuara Begum, (member of reserved seat-1, 2, 3), Jahura Begum (member of reserved seat-4, 5, 6), Manjur Alam (UP member- 1st ward), Borhan Uddin (UP member- 2nd ward), Sarwar Kamal Badsha (UP member- 5th ward), Mohammed Shahjahan Shaheen (UP member- 6th ward) and Shahjahan Chowdhury (UP member- 7th ward), have filed a written complaint to Ukhia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanveer Hossain in this regard.
According to the complaint, No. 3 Haldia Palong UP chairman SM Imrul Kayes Chowdhury has been carrying out irregularities, corruption and fraudulent activities in the UP since he was elected. It says the chairman is violating various sections and sub-sections of the Local Government (Union Council) Act, 2009 by not taking effective steps for the development of the council after taking oath as chairman. Although there is a rule to hold regular monthly meeting, even though 3 months have passed, no meeting has been organised so far.
As he is involved in irregularities, corruption and fraudulent activities, the issue is causing concern and frustration among the members of the reserved seats of the Union Parishad and the ordinary members, it says.
The chairman alone has taken all decisions, including distribution and implementation of various government grants and allocations, without the meeting of the Parishad. The chairman allegedly embezzled money from all services of the council, including trade licence, holding tax, landless certificate, death certificate, birth registration certificate, passport, voter form and various other certifications, by employing private manpower. For this reason, common people of the UP are facing various types of harassment, it says.
