Dead File Revived: Plot Fraud Exposed, Former Rajuk Chairman and 7 Others Sentenced to 14 Years
Lavanya Chowdhury: They failed to secure a plot in the lottery and subsequently withdrew their security deposit. Legally, this meant their applications were completely canceled and void. Yet, through an invisible exercise of raw power, those dead files miraculously returned to life on the board of the Capital Development Authority (Rajuk).
Without any scrutiny committee review or lottery process, two brothers—relying entirely on the abuse of power—were illegally allocated two massive 10-katha plots (totaling 20 kathas) in the prestigious Purbachal New Town project.
In one of the most sensational plot scam and corruption cases in Rajuk’s history, a court has sentenced eight individuals to a total of 14 years of rigorous imprisonment under two separate sections (7 years each).
The convicts include former Rajuk Chairman Iqbal Uddin Chowdhury, Amber Group Managing Director Shawkat Aziz Russell, and former Vice Chairman of City Bank Ashfaq Aziz Rubel.
Judge Md. Abdus Salam of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-9 delivered the landmark verdict, ordering the immediate cancellation of the allocations for Plot No. 011 and 013 on Road-405 in Sector-1 of Purbachal, forfeiting the multi-million taka properties to the state.
The Rajuk Official Syndicate
To facilitate the illegal land grab for the two sons of M.A. Hashem—a highly influential BNP Member of Parliament at the time—five top-tier Rajuk officials actively colluded with then-Chairman Iqbal Uddin Chowdhury. The five convicted high-ranking officials are:
- S.D. Foyez (Former Member-Development, Rajuk)
- A.K.M. Wahedul Islam (Former Member-Planning, Rajuk)
- S.M. Jafar Ullah (Former Member-Finance, Rajuk)
- H.M. Johurul Haque (Former Member-Administration & Land, Rajuk)
- Md. Rezaul Karim Tarafdar (Former Member-Estate, Rajuk)
The court found all eight accused—including the Rajuk officials and the beneficiary brothers—guilty under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and Section 409 of the Penal Code (Criminal Breach of Trust). Each convict has been fined Taka 10 lakh under each section, totaling Taka 20 lakh per person. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of rigorous imprisonment. However, since the prison terms for both sections will run concurrently, the convicts will effectively serve seven years behind bars.
Investigative Chronicle: How the Scam Unfolded
According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case documents and court records, the anatomy of the fraud is detailed below:
- The 2001 Application: On August 23, 2001, Shawkat Aziz Russell and Ashfaq Aziz Rubel applied for two 10-katha plots under the industrialist quota in the Purbachal project, depositing a security sum of Taka 1.5 lakh each (totaling Taka 3 lakh).
- Lottery Failure and Cancellation: Neither brother was selected in Rajuk’s first-phase lottery. Consequently, on December 18, 2003, they withdrew their security deposits from Rajuk. Legally, the withdrawal rendered their applications completely canceled and expired.
- Political Influence: Between 2001 and 2004, the brothers’ father, M.A. Hashem, was a powerful ruling-party (BNP) lawmaker representing the Noakhali-2 constituency. This immense political clout was utilized behind the scenes to manipulate the system.
- The Board Room “Magic”: Without any fresh application or recommendation from a selection committee, Rajuk’s 8th Special Board Meeting was abruptly called on June 2, 2004. Presided over by then-Chairman Iqbal Uddin Chowdhury, the board made a completely illegal decision: the canceled applications would be revived, and the plots granted, provided the brothers returned the withdrawn security deposit with a 17% interest rate.
- Depriving Valid Applicants: Through this illicit decision, Rajuk officials grossly abused their authority. While thousands of legitimate, qualified applicants queued for years without receiving a single plot, the two brothers who lost the lottery were gifted state land worth tens of millions of Taka.
Crackdown on Fugitives
Following concrete proof of this unprecedented corruption, Silvia Ferdous, then-Deputy Assistant Director of the ACC, filed a case at the Motijheel Police Station on February 8, 2017. A formal charge sheet was submitted in 2018 after a thorough investigation. The court delivered its verdict after evaluating the testimonies of nine witnesses.
As the accused strategically chose to remain absent during the verdict announcement, the court canceled their bail and issued strict arrest warrants alongside the conviction warrants. The sentences will come into effect from the day of their arrest or surrender.
