Md Faizul Kabir Shihab, a class-III employee at Public Works Department (PWD) in Dhaka, has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that he owns four flats with a total market value of approximately Tk 3 crore.
Shihab, who works as personal assistant to Additional Chief Engineer (Establishment and Coordination) Md Shahidul Alam at PWD's main branch, has reportedly been involved in various unlawful activities since his tenure at Mirpur Circle of PWD.
After his appointment as personal assistant to the additional chief engineer, Shihab’s influence within the department allegedly grew significantly.
According to sources, several class III employees of PWD have recently completed the construction work of a six-storey building on a plot of three and a half kathas at Riazbagh under Khilgaon police station in Dhaka. Shihab’s four apartments are in this building, which is widely known as ‘PWD Building’ in the local area.
Local resident Hafizur Rahman Shafiq said that all apartment owners in the building are PWD
employees, and no one from outside the department owns property there, although others may rent the units.
Sources further revealed that Shihab’s family owns four apartments--two on the sixth floor and one each on the fifth and fourth floors. All of these apartments are rented, providing Shihab with a monthly income of Tk 67,000.
Shihab himself lives in the building as a tenant, allegedly to avoid harassment. He reportedly registered the apartments in his parents' names to evade scrutiny from the Anti-Corruption Commission and other investigating bodies.
Shihab maintains that his name is not listed as the owner of any of these properties, insisting, “I am a low-paid employee. There is no benefit in making reports about me.”
Shihab’s father was a primary schoolteacher, and his brother Aminul, who also lives in the building, is a typist and an employee of Public Works Department.
Additional Chief Engineer (Establishment and Coordination) Md Shahidul Alam has said that legal action will be taken if any formal complaints are lodged against him in this regard.
