A driver by profession, Malek lived the life of a millionaire
Six members of Malek’s syndicate allegedly controlled recruitment, promotion and transfer of DGHS officials
Abdul Malek, a driver of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) who has been arrested by RAB on charges of possessing an illegal firearm and trading in fake currencies, accumulated wealth worth crores of taka through illegal activities, said RAB officials.
Appointed as a master roll staff in 1982 and promoted to Class III four years later, Malek's rise to wealth began in 2009 when he started driving the car of the then director general of the DGHS.
He allegedly formed a six-member syndicate to control recruitment, promotion and transfer of officers and other employees at different levels of the DGHS.
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By lobbying high officials, the syndicate helped hundreds of people get jobs illegally at the DGHS since 2009, said RB officers, adding that some top officers at the department were linked with them in the process and were financially benefited.
During that period he allegedly amassed several crores of taka by lobbying for the appointment of over 100 assistant directors in upazila level.
Investigators said Malek had been an influential person in the DGHS since 2009.
He made wealth cashing in on the position of the driver of top officials by syndicating appointments and purchases at the health directorate.
He reportedly has 27 close relatives in different positions at the DGHS now.
Malek had been maintaining good relations with several leaders of the Bangladesh Medical Association and Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, said RAB sources.
Meanwhile, A Dhaka court on Monday placed Malek on a 14-day remand in two cases lodged against him over the recovery of illegal firearms and fake currency from his possession.
The court placed the accused in remand after police had produced him before the court and pleaded for a 14-day remand against him.
RAB-1 Director Lieutenant Colonel Shafi Ullah Bulbul said the elite force lodged the cases with the Turag police station on Monday morning under the Arms Act and the Special Power Act. The law enforcement agency arrested Malek from Dhaka's Turag area early Sunday.
They recovered a foreign made pistol, a magazine, five bullets, and Tk1.50 lakh in counterfeit from him.
A life of extravagance
Malek owns three multi-storey buildings in the capital, 24 flats, a dairy firm, and some other properties, which are worth over Tk100 crore, said Ashique Billah, director of RAB's legal and media wing.
Although he was a driver by profession, he used to lead his life like an industrialist.
He used to return home from the office with a new car.
Fakrul Islam, a grocery shop owner of Kamarpara in Turag told The Business Standard that he knew that Malek was an officer of the DGHS.
He bought a 15-katha land at Kamarpara and built a seven-storey building in 2014, Fakrul said.
Malek's daughter Naznin Sultana, however, claimed that the Rab and police are not giving actual information to the media. "We constructed the building taking out Tk70 lakh in loan from Prime Bank," she added.
Door that bears witness of Malek's dishonesty
The intricately carved wooden door displaying fine craftsmanship and the wealth and taste of the owner of the apartment is striking both for its beauty and for the secret hiding behind it.
This door leads to the abode of Abdul Malek.
One might wonder how a low-level government employee can afford such a luxurious door – befitting a palace – for his abode without being involved in corruption and dishonesty.
A palace it is, in the kingdom of corruption by Abdul Malek.
