AL leaders accused of cattle market lease engineering

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has leased Eid-ul-Adha cattle markets to the highest bidders but local Awami League leaders have been accused of manipulating the bidding. 

DSCC finalized the leasing of 11 out of its 14 cattle markets on Monday evening. It will open the tender box again for the remaining three markets on Tuesday and will scrutinize the offers on Wednesday.  

Some traders said the 11 markets were all leased to local Awami League leaders, claiming that the selection process of highest bidders was engineered.           

They claimed they were systematically barred from participating in the bidding. Thus the local politicians were in exclusive control of the bidding process.   

A businessman in Shahjahanpur-Khilgaon area, who participated in previous cattle market bidding, alleged that ruling party men had threatened individual traders like him against taking part in this year’s tender.     

However, Shajahanpur thana Awami League President Md Abdul Latif, who secured a lease, denied the allegation.

He said: “The bidding process was fair and transparent. No Awami League men threatened any individual traders.” 

The DSCC published cattle market tender notice on June 10, and the last date of making an offer was June 25. 

A total of 54 bidders bought forms of tender and schedules, and 44 of them finally submitted their offers.

The DSCC made Tk8,17,52,841 from the bidding. 

The traders who were left out said the amount of the highest offer would have been higher if more people were allowed to participate in the bidding. 

Manoeuvring the leasing of cattle markets has become a trend over the years, and political leaders have frequently been accused of the act.      

The DSCC failed to lease eight out of its 15 cattle markets last year due to insufficient bidding. Traders and DSCC officials said local political leaders formed a syndicate to secure a daily-basis lease of those eight markets.

The DSCC earned a total of Tk7,89,27,150 from the bidding but officials said the amount could have been higher. 

Sources said the daily-basis lease mainly benefitted local leaders but those who could not participate in the bidding were unhappy. Out of frustration, they later set up roadside cattle markets in many areas illegally, resulting in gridlocks and public suffering. 

Those who won the lease this year are Shajahanpur thana Awami League President Md Abdul Latif (North Shahjahanpur Maitree Sangha playground), Dil Jahan Bhuiyan (Jigatola Hazaribagh playground), Shafi Mahmud on behalf of Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society (Rahmatganj playground), Jatrabari thana Awami League Vice-President Md Mosharraf Hossain (Shanir Akhra and Doniya playground), Kamrangirchar thana Awami League President Abul Hossain Sarker (Kamrangirchar embankment), Md Shamsuzzoha (Dhupkhola playground), Farhad Bhuiyan Babu (Kawartek playground), Moqassed Hossain Kislu (Dawkandi Indulia Bhagapur Nagar-Aftab Nagar), Md Ahsanullah (Amulia Model Town), Moinuddin Chishty (Postogola Shashanghat), Siddiqur Rahman (Shyampur Balurmath), Ward 3 Awami League President Hazi Shah Alam (Meradiabazar), Murad Hasan (Shamsabad playground), and former Ward 6 Awami League Organizing Secretary Md Jakir Hossain (Gopibagh playground and adjacent areas).