A written complaint has been filed by a house wife against her husband, alleging his involvement in bribery, corruption, and irregularities within the construction of a Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre project.
On Wednesday at the Secretariat, Housing and Public Works Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin received the complaint from Rezwana Ahmed Khushbu, wife of Deputy Assistant Engineer Ashrafuzzaman, who works at the Nilphamari Public Works Department. The complaint included various facts and evidence supporting her allegations.
The Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre project, initiated by the Awami League government in accordance with their 2014 election manifesto, aimed to establish 664 such facilities across every district and upazila by 2017. Managed by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works under supervision of the Islamic Foundation, the project, originally budgeted at Tk 842 crore, has seen its costs escalate to Tk 9,435 crore due to extensions and delays.
The project has faced controversy due to allegations of irregularities, particularly concerning bribery and corruption in the construction of these religious institutions. Ashrafuzzaman, associated with the construction of a model mosque under government expense in Nilphamari, stands accused this time.
Rezwana Ahmed Khushbu stated, "Despite my efforts to prevent my husband from indulging in corruption upon learning about his bribery in the construction of a religious institution, I faced physical abuse. In such circumstances, I had no choice but to lodge a complaint with the relevant authorities for the sake of our family and the country."
She further added, "When I married him, I came from an ordinary family, but now he possesses significant wealth, including a luxurious home. Such acquisitions are impossible without involvement in bribery and corruption. I seek an investigation into these allegations and justice for the mistreatment I have endured."
Najibur Rahman, director of the Model Mosque Project, assured that if the accusations of bribery and corruption are substantiated, severe actions will be taken against the accused.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated 300 model mosques and Islamic cultural centres nationwide so far, with the project's three-phase extension slated to conclude in June 2026.
