Public Funds Used to Upgrade Cemetery on Secretary’s Property; Allocation: Tk 2.4 Million

Allegations have surfaced that several small development schemes were initiated mainly to please a senior district council official, ultimately benefiting the family cemetery of a top government secretary.

The projects were carried out in Niz Ashabat, a remote village in Phulpur, Mymensingh. Under the district council’s budget, eight separate micro-projects were approved in the name of improving a “community graveyard.” Together, these projects amount to Tk 2.4 million.

However, local inquiries reveal that the site is actually the private family cemetery of Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Secretary of the Local Government Division.

Claims Against District Council Official

Insiders allege that the initiatives were taken at the insistence of the district council’s acting chief executive, Md. Kabir Hossain Sardar, who wanted to stay in the good books of the secretary. Staff members accused him of pursuing unnecessary projects, manipulating budget allocations, distributing aid improperly, and even forging the administrator’s signature.

A formal complaint against Kabir Hossain was filed with the Local Government Division on 26 October. One day later, he was transferred from Mymensingh to Patuakhali district council. A subsequent order transferred him again to Netrokona.

Secretary Denies Requesting Cemetery Funding

Speaking to the press, Secretary Jahedi said he never asked anyone to fund work on the family burial ground. According to him, he only requested basic water access and facilities for a small prayer space used by villagers.
He also stated that once he learned about the way the projects were executed, he instructed that the work be halted and ordered Kabir Hossain’s reassignment.

Past Allegations Against Kabir Hossain

Older records indicate that Kabir Hossain had faced disciplinary action before. During his tenure as Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer in 2013, he was accused of misusing his authority in connection with a garment factory and of failing to pay rent for an apartment he lived in. Both complaints were found to have merit, and in 2015 he received a two-step salary demotion.

One Village Receives Nine Out of 37 Projects

Review of district council documents shows that on 18 May, the council approved 37 development schemes worth Tk 9 million. Of these, ten were in Phulpur Upazila, and nine were concentrated in Niz Ashabat alone.
Each project was allocated Tk 300,000, covering items like boundary walls, water systems, tile work, drainage, and sanitation.

Several of these projects directly listed improvements to the cemetery where the secretary’s grandfather is buried. A visit to the area on 26 October found construction underway, including boundary walls, a pump, a water tank, and sanitation facilities. A worn signboard at the site still described it as a “family cemetery.”

Local residents confirmed that this is not a public graveyard. A relative of the secretary stated that the funding came through government channels after the boundary was marked off.

Irregularities in Blanket Distribution

Questions have also emerged over a major purchase of winter blankets. A contract was issued on 28 January to supply 12,000 blankets worth nearly Tk 5 million for distribution among impoverished residents.
But the district council’s engineering staff say they never received the blankets, and file reviews show no official handover documents—only papers submitted by the acting chief executive claiming that distribution had taken place.

Forgery Allegations

The current district council administrator, Tahmina Akter, reported that Kabir Hossain allegedly used her forged signature to prepare documentation for projects totaling Tk 11.3 million. She issued a show-cause notice to him, which he claims to have answered.

Ongoing Investigations

Additional complaints submitted by council staff allege that Kabir Hossain repeatedly pressured them to carry out unauthorized tasks and used the council’s discretionary budget to divert funds to nonexistent entities.
The Anti-Corruption Commission has already begun probing these accusations, and the divisional administration has formed a three-member committee to investigate.