BPC Official Accused of Corruption Worth Hundreds of Crores

Serious corruption allegations have been raised against Md. Ahmadullah, private secretary to the chairman and a deputy manager at Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). He is accused of amassing hundreds of crores of taka through recruitment fraud, tender manipulation and abuse of power.

According to allegations, Ahmadullah gained influence in BPC after joining the organisation in 2019 during the tenure of former chairman Md. Shamsur Rahman. Sources claim he had a close personal connection with the chairman’s family, which helped him secure the job.

Questions have also been raised about the recruitment process. Although Ahmadullah is reportedly a permanent resident of Dibakar Kathi village in Jhalakathi Sadar upazila, he allegedly joined BPC using the quota for Dhaka district. It is also alleged that he submitted documents highlighting political affiliations linked to the then ruling Awami League to strengthen his influence.

After joining BPC, Ahmadullah’s influence reportedly grew rapidly. His father-in-law was previously associated with the office of late Awami League leader and former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta.

Despite regulations stating that the personal assistant to the BPC chairman holds a position equivalent to assistant manager (9th grade), Ahmadullah has reportedly served for years as the chairman’s private secretary while holding the rank of deputy manager (6th grade).

On October 3, 2021, then BPC chairman ABM Azad reportedly transferred him to the Chattogram head office over corruption allegations. However, the transfer order was cancelled the following day, and he returned to his previous post.

Various allegations claim that Ahmadullah accumulated significant wealth during his tenure. These reportedly include multiple flats and land in Dhaka’s Mirpur area, duplex houses in his village, two restaurants in Mirpur, savings certificates worth crores of taka, fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) and shares in a private bank. Some of the assets are alleged to be held in the names of family members and relatives.

Sources also claim he formed an influential network inside BPC, often referred to as the “Barisal syndicate”, by placing officials from his home region in key positions. One of the individuals linked to this network is deputy manager Md. Ashiq Shahriar, who allegedly collected money from depots and refineries on behalf of the group.

Ahmadullah is further accused of receiving commissions from development projects and financial transactions. These include projects such as the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project, the Dhaka–Chattogram pipeline and the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline. Allegations also claim that he took money from job seekers and suppliers during recruitment and procurement processes.

Sources say the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started investigating the allegations. As part of the process, Ahmadullah submitted his wealth statement to the ACC headquarters on February 24.

When contacted, Ahmadullah acknowledged that he has served in the same position for a long time and confirmed that his home district is Jhalakathi. However, he denied all other allegations, describing them as fabricated and false.