20 ex-govt officials helped 'Tender Shamim' manipulate contracts

In an aim to manipulate tenders, Jubo League leader Golam Kibria Shamim "hired" at least 20 retired officials from the public works department in his institution GK Builders.

GK Shamim, as he is popularly known, chose them as his "employees" so that they could help him get all the work orders by applying influence on their successors at the department.

In exchange, they would take a monthly payment of Tk2,00,000 to Tk5,00,000. But they would not do office regularly.

Even these retired officials, working for Shamim, used to "offer bribes" to the incumbent officials on Shamim's behalf so that he could escape actions by the authorities concerned.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), during a primary interrogation, has come to know about the strong nexus that helped Shamim have an exclusive control over the public works department.

"Most of the retired officials are of the levels of joint secretary, additional secretary and even full secretary from the department," said RAB sources.

The sources at the intelligence wing of the elite force also said that Shamim chose only corrupt officials from the public works because they were adept in tender manipulation.

Shamim also allegedly tried to convince the RAB officials to avoid a raid in his office at Niketon in the city.

"He offered the RAB officials money whatever an amount they required to avert the drive and his arrest," the source claimed.

A RAB official, who interrogated GK Shamim, anonymously said that Shamim has at least five luxurious houses at different areas in the capital.

"We have found the details about the houses established in Bashabo and Niketon areas. They are equipped with modern amenities and have a strong technology-based security system," he said.

Shamim used to sit in these houses to make business deals, the law enforcing agency member said, adding that many government officials would also go there for entertainment at his invitation.

However, RAB legal and media wing Director Sarwer Bin Kashem declined to comment on the interrogation of GK Shamim.

"We have got lots of information about his illegal business, and he also disclosed the names of a few government officials and politicians who were involved with him," he said.

"But, we cannot disclose the details right now," he added.

The RAB arrested GK Shamim on Friday and seized Tk1.80 crore in cash from his house and the Fixed Deposit Receipt worth Tk165 crore from his office at Niketon.

According to the case statement, GK Shamim is a marked criminal. The guns, confiscated from him and his gunmen, were used illegally to spread fear among people. He also used the arms for tender manipulation, extortion, and operating narcotics and casino business.

It is also mentioned that a huge portion of the money he obtained from doing illegal activities was laundered outside the country.