Allegations have emerged that about Tk 1.5 crore in revenue was embezzled from the Chougachha cattle market in Jashore over the past four years. Complainants claim former municipal mayor Nur Uddin Alam Mamun Himel and lessee Abidur Rahman took the money in collusion with local Awami League leaders and influential BNP leaders, and that the group is again trying to take control of the market.

Investigation found that in 2021 local man Yamul Or Rashid Tito leased the market for Tk 56 lakh 28 thousand 500, but the municipality is still owed Tk 26 lakh 4 thousand 200 by him. In 2022 Shamim Reza leased it for Tk 58 lakh 50 thousand, and the municipality is owed Tk 55 lakh 12 thousand by him.

In 2023 Asif Iqbal Bhutto leased the market for Tk 59 lakh 50 thousand, and Tk 33 lakh 38 thousand is owed by him. In 2024 Mizanur Rahman leased it for Tk 80 lakh 15 thousand, from which the municipality is owed Tk 9 lakh 58 thousand 750. In other words, revenue of Tk 1 crore 24 lakh 12 thousand 950 was siphoned off over the past four years.

Those accused of involvement are Awami League leader and former mayor Nur Uddin Alam Mamun Himel, Yamul Or Rashid Tito, Shamim Reza, Asif Iqbal Bhutto, Mizanur Rahman, Abidur Rahman, and Ataur Rahman Lal, an influential BNP leader in Chougachha and chairman of Patibila union parishad. It is also alleged that the municipal administrator has taken no steps to recover the money.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, all municipal mayors and councillors were removed and administrators appointed. Assistant Commissioner Gunjan Biswas was first appointed administrator of Chougachha municipality, followed by engineer Tasmin Jahan, who moved to bring transparency to the municipality's work as soon as she took charge.

She started an open tender for the municipality's general market and cattle market for 2025, after which a tug of war began over the cattle market. Former mayor Himel's people became desperate to take it over again, and Abidur Rahman of Jhenaidah, together with BNP leaders, applied pressure in various ways to lease the market without a tender. A case over control of the market was later filed in court.

Chougachha contractor Atiqur Rahman Lentu said former mayor Himel, Tito, Shamim, Bhutto, Mizanur Rahman and Patibila UP chairman Ataur Rahman Lal had looted about Tk 1.5 crore from the market over four years, collecting money from the market without paying the auction price.

BNP leader and Patibila UP chairman Ataur Rahman Lal said the cattle market is held on land belonging to the municipality and his father-in-law, which is why he is being falsely implicated. He said he is not involved in any occupation or embezzlement. "I have been chairman three times in a row as a man of the sheaf of paddy. Whatever wrongdoing there was, Awami League people did it," he said.

Asked about the matter, Chougachha municipal administrator and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Tasmin Jahan said a case over the cattle market is pending in court, and further action will be taken as directed once the verdict is received.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.