A Master Pilot Supervisor of BIWTA amasses mountain of wealth thru’ illegal means

ACC’s interference sought

Golam Mostafa Jibon;’Allegation of amassing huge illegal wealth through massive corruptions and irregularities has intensified against Abdul Motaleb, Master Pilot Supervisor of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Abdul Motaleb is also known as a pilot of corruption in the BIWTA offices in Dhaka and Chattogram for his undisclosed income and vast wealth amassed through illegal means.
Although, he is now working under the BIWTA’s Pilot House in Chattogram, he spends almost half of the month in Dhaka as he has built a luxurous residence at Basundhara Riverview Project in the capital city Dhaka with his illegal income.
Several allegations of corruption and irregularities were submitted against him at the headquarters in the past, but the influential official has been servicing in his position smoothly without any resistance abusing his muscle power.
It is learnt from several written complainants submitted to the Secretary of Shipping Ministry and Chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that, Master Pilot Supervisor Abdul Motaleb has been carrying various irregularities including embezzling coupons and extorting money from ship owners in Chattogram Port day after day. He also embezzled money in the name of providing jobs. He often remains absence in his workplace by abusing power. He also became President of the Master Pilot Union by anomalies.
Meanwhile, a probe body was formed by the Ministry of Shipping to investigate into the corruptions and irregularities brought against him by some people. But, the investigation report did not see the face of light so far due to unknown reasons.
As a result, agitation is prevailing among the honest, sincere and sacrificing staffs and employees of the BIWTA as he is still servicing in his post and carrying the kingdom of anomalies without any resistance due to blessing of some senior officers.
Complainants said, Abdul Motaleb, also former President of BIWTA’s Master Pilot and Staff Union (Chattogram) has become owner of huge illegal wealth including more than one houses, flats, plots and cars. He has established his own circle in BIWTA after providing jobs to some of his relatives by abusing power. He has also built a mountain of wealth through recruitment and transfer trade. Besides, Abdul Motaleb directly and indirectly misappropriated huge amount of revenue (See Page-2)
(From Page-1)
collected from all the lighter ships loaded from Chattogram Port to different parts of the country like Barisal, Chandpur, Khulna, Baghabari Nagarbari, Ashuganj, Bhairab, Dhaka and Narayanganj without depositing those to government fund.
Shahid Ullya, a first class Master of MT Seagull and resident at Badamtoli in Agrabad of Chattogram city said, “We almost ply our vessels on the Chattogram-Char Gazaraia (Janata Bazar) route by taking service from BIWTA’s Master Pilot. Accordingly, I collect coupons from BIWTA with the prescribed amount. But out of it, Abdul Motaleb forcibly realized additional Tk 30,000 on January 24 in 2019 and Tk 45,000 on January 31 in 2019 from me showing fears. In the same vein, he has been collecting extra money from all ship owners in the area.”
“There are also several records of mobile conversations over transaction of illegal money,” he added.
On February 19 last year, an audit team of BIWTA visited Patenga Beach and found MV Al Farooq 1-2 and Bhorer Alo ship in loaded condition. At that time, the inspection team did not find coupon of the booking to leave the port, the complainant said adding that there are allegations of money laundering against Abdul Motaleb. Besides, he was a member of the Executive Committee of Jatiyatabadi Noujan Shramik Dal, the complainant added.
Official sources informed that, he does not do duty in office, but shows duty on papers abusing his power. There is an allegation that he had offered a bribe to the president of the workers’ union of BIWTA through a cheque so that he could be promoted to master pilot supervisor. Not only that, he has embezzled a bug sum of money from the fund of master pilots’ restroom.
Motaleb, who is also known as a drug addicted official, often misbehaves with other staffs and employees of the office. Besides, there are huge allegations of realizing illegal toll from different caro-vessels, which were involved with carrying the construction materials for Padma Bridge.
A victim named Mizanur Rahman Gazi submitted a complaint to the Chairman of BIWTA on May 7 in 2017 saying that, a recruitment advertisement for Senior Master Pilot was published in newspaper at that time. He applied for the post. Abdul Motaleb took Tk 10 lakh from him promising to provide the job.
Prior to the written test, Mizanur Rahman paid him Tk 4 lakh and after the written test, he paid more Tk 6 lakh to Motaleb. But, he did not get job and even he did not get back the money. Like Mizanur Rahman, many job seekers were victims of swindling by Motaleb, he said.
Abdul Motaleb has misappropriated Tk 3.75 lakh from one Abdul Mannan, Cook of Chargazaria Pilot House, promising him to provide the job as Markman. In the same way, he has taken Tk 4 lakh from Harun, son of late Mofizur Rahman and Tk 50,000 from Suleman Mujib of Chattogram alluring to provide jobs.
One Kamal Hossain of a shipping company complained that he had to lose his job for not cooperating in immoral activities of Motaleb. He used to realize Tk 30,000 to Tk 45,000 from Ship Company SEAGULL Marine Engineering Private Limited regularly, he added.
Motaleb took away Tk 2 lakh from Abdur Rahim, son of Master Pilot Abdur Rab alluring to give him a promotion from peon post.
Seeking anonymity a Pilot Master said, Motaleb has bought a plot of land in the Bashundhara Riverview area of the capital Dhaka spending crores of Taka and built a luxurious four-storey building there. He has more than one private car. He has a luxurious residence near Station Road in Chattogram. Although, he has amassed huge wealth through irregularities and corruption, he has purchased most of his wealth anonymously to avoid the lawsuits of the ACC. He has built a mountain of these illegal assets in the name of various relatives and close ones. In the past, several written complaints were filed against him in this regard, but to no effect. Finding no way, some victims re-filed the complaints to the Shipping Ministry and ACC seeking remedy.
The complainants urged the authorities concerned of the Shipping Ministry and ACC to take exemplary action after conducting a free, fair and transparent investigation against him.
While contacted over cell phone, Abul Motaleb, Master Pilot Supervisor of BIWTA declined the allegations and requested not to publish any report on this regard.