CAAB's Shahinur under scrutiny over alleged tender influence, wealth

Md Shahinur Alam, who has served in different engineering capacities at CAAB, is also facing allegations concerning his posting and promotion, as well as claims that contractors were pressured to make payments in exchange for facilitating work or bills

A Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) assistant engineer has come under scrutiny over allegations of using political connections to build influence at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, exerting influence over procurement and maintenance contracts, and accumulating assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Md Shahinur Alam, who has served in different engineering capacities at CAAB, is also facing allegations concerning his posting and promotion, as well as claims that contractors were pressured to make payments in exchange for facilitating work or bills.

However, the nature of the allegations warrants scrutiny of CAAB's tender records, work orders, payment documents, asset declarations, tax returns and land records, according to people familiar with the matter.

From political connections to airport influence

Several CAAB officials and employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that Shahinur Alam had developed considerable influence within a section of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport during the previous government's tenure.

People familiar with his background said he had been associated with Awami League politics since his student days and later used his political and administrative contacts to strengthen his position within the organisation.

Some colleagues alleged that his perceived political connections made others reluctant to challenge him over administrative or professional matters.

Following the political changeover in 2024, Shahinur allegedly sought to reposition himself within the changed political environment and cultivate relationships with influential quarters, according to the allegations. These claims could not be independently verified.

Questions over posting and promotion

Questions have also been raised about Shahinur Alam's career progression. According to officials familiar with his service history, he spent nearly three years at Saidpur Airport as a sub-assistant engineer following allegations of departmental irregularities and corruption. He later returned to Dhaka, allegedly through the use of influence.

There are also allegations that he exerted pressure on CAAB Chief Engineer Md Zakaria Hossain and invoked the threat of action by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to secure his promotion to the post of government engineer.

The claim could not be independently verified. The FT Team contacted neither Zakaria Hossain nor relevant CAAB officials with access to the promotion file sufficiently to establish whether the promotion process complied with all applicable rules.

The relevant service and promotion records would need to be examined to determine whether any procedural irregularity occurred.

Tender process under scrutiny

The most significant allegations relate to Shahinur Alam's role in procurement and maintenance activities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

During the 2023–24 fiscal year, he served as a sub-assistant engineer with CAAB's E/M Division-1 at the airport.

Contractors and officials familiar with the work said his influence increased during this period over several development and maintenance projects at the terminal.

The allegations involve procurement and maintenance of panel lights, conveyor belts, electrical equipment, water pumps and other machinery, including equipment used in areas such as the international lounge.

Several contractors alleged that particular firms received preferential treatment and that financial demands were made in connection with securing work or processing bills.

One particularly striking allegation concerns payments allegedly demanded from contractors while Shahinur Alam was in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

The contractors' claims could not independently be verified through documentary evidence available to this newspaper.

Contractors allege pressure for payments

Several contractors who spoke to FT Team on condition of anonymity expressed frustration over what they described as an informal system of financial demands surrounding airport works.

One contractor alleged that the problem was not simply about individual payments but about the influence exercised over the contracting process.

However, the allegations remain allegations unless supported by documentary evidence, financial records or testimony that can be independently corroborated.

A detailed review of tender evaluation reports, comparative statements, work orders, measurement books, bills and payment records would be necessary to establish whether particular contractors received preferential treatment or whether any financial irregularities occurred.

Assets raise further questions

Perhaps the most serious allegations concern Shahinur Alam's purported wealth. Sources familiar with the allegations claim that substantial assets are held in his name, in the names of family members, or allegedly through people close to him.

The alleged properties includes valuable land in Dakshinkhan, Dhaka; multiple flats in Uttara; a luxury apartment in Bashundhara Residential Area; substantial agricultural land in Tangail; fish farms; and a dairy farm.

More importantly, ownership alone would not establish wrongdoing. To determine whether there is a discrepancy between legitimate income and accumulated wealth, investigators would need to establish the actual ownership, acquisition dates, purchase prices, funding sources and present market values of the properties.

Income-tax returns, wealth statements, bank transactions, land-registration documents and company or business records could provide the necessary evidence.

What needs to be verified

The allegations against Shahinur Alam raise several distinct questions that can only be answered through documentary examination:

First, whether his postings and promotion complied with CAAB's service rules.

Second, whether he exercised unauthorised influence over tender evaluation, work allocation or bill processing.

Third, whether contractors were asked to make payments in return for official facilities.

Fourth, whether the assets allegedly linked to him are genuinely owned or controlled by him or his family members.

Finally, whether the value and source of those assets are consistent with his declared income and tax records.

These are matters that can be established through records rather than allegations alone.

Shahinur Alam did not respond

The FT Team made repeated attempts to contact Shahinur Alam through several mobile numbers reportedly used by him. Questions were sent to him by text message as well.

But he did not respond. The reporter's number also appeared to have been blocked. As a result, his explanation could not be included in this report.

If Shahinur Alam responds to the allegations, The Finance Today will publish his comments in accordance with standard journalistic practice.

A case for institutional scrutiny

The allegations surrounding Shahinur Alam are not merely about one engineer's alleged conduct. They raise broader questions about transparency and accountability in public procurement at one of Bangladesh's most strategically important airports.

If substantiated, allegations of contractor payments, preferential treatment or unexplained wealth would warrant investigation by the relevant authorities.

The documentary trail, including tender files, work orders, bills, payment records, service records, asset declarations, tax returns and land documents, will ultimately determine whether the claims have substance.

The Finance Today is continuing its investigation into Shahinur Alam's alleged assets, professional activities and connections with contractors involved in CAAB projects. The next instalment will examine the alleged properties, their ownership records, acquisition values and the possible sources of funds used to acquire them.