Shahiduzzaman Shimul Satkhira:
About 18 bighas of agricultural land of Satkhira Government College have been leased for a year for just 70 thousand taka without a tender. Apart from this, the mango orchard has been leased for 95 thousand taka. The government has lost a huge amount of revenue by leasing it at a nominal price. Even the college's tender and purchase committee is not aware of the lease.
Locals said that there has been mixed reactions to the lease being given to the same person without a tender. A college teacher is doing all this by misleading the principal. He used to control everything in the college in the same way before. He sought the intervention of higher authorities of the government so that tenders are invited again.
Several locals, who did not want to be named, said that a group had been occupying the college's lakes, ponds, agricultural land, and mango orchards for a long time without any tender. Badrul Millat, associate professor of the college's Bengali department, used to control everything in the college alone. Once again, he misled the college principal and leased everything to people of his choice at a nominal price. Although the college had a tender and purchase committee, they played the role of puppets.
Local sources also said that the college's lake and pond were leased to BNP leader Matinur Rahman for 70,000 taka and 18 bighas of land for only 70,000 taka. In addition, the college's mango orchard was leased for only 95,000 taka. Locals said that if an open tender was called, everything would have been sold for three times the price. Even in the dark of night, Badrul Millat sold the fish from the pond adjacent to the hostel.
In this regard, Ward BNP General Secretary Matinur Rahman Kochi said, "I have leased the college canal and small pond. I have not leased the hostel pond. I have only bought the fish from Badrul Millat, an associate professor of the Bengali department of the government college, for 50,000 taka."
Badrul Millat, associate professor of the Bengali department, said, "Who am I to sell fish from a pond? There is a principal of the college and a purchase and tender committee. I have not sold any fish. A group is spreading misinformation about me."
Professor Montazur Rahman, convener of the procurement and tender committee of Satkhira Government College and head of the management department, said that only the college has given tenders for canals, small ponds and mango trees. The tender for agricultural land has not been given yet.
However, when told that the lease had been given, he said, "The college principal can tell me that, I don't know. You should ask the principal."
Satkhira Government College Principal Professor Abul Hashem said that the college's canal, small pond, mango orchard and agricultural land have been leased.
When asked about leasing at such a low price, he said, "Earlier, there was no leasing at all. After I came, the government is getting some revenue by leasing everything."
When asked if he had leased 18 bighas of land for just 70,000 taka and that the college's tender and purchase committee did not know, he said, "You come to the college and look at the documents." When asked if a college teacher controls everything, he said, "That is not possible."###
Shahiduzzaman Shimul, Satkhira
