Scam in BIWTA tendering: complaint filed to ministry

Allegations of anomaly in the awarding of tenders by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) have been brought to light, with a complaint filed at the Ministry of Shipping against Farhad Hossain Setul. 

The complaint accuses Setul of misrepresenting himself as the younger brother of BIWTA chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa to influence tender outcomes in favor of selected companies.

According to the written complaint, Setul allegedly helped secure contracts for six different firms and, in return, collected consultancy fees amounting to 6% of each project‍‍`s total value.

In a draft agreement attached with the complaint, Setul reportedly demanded 6% of the total tender amount for facilitating contract awards. The agreement outlines that 50% of the payment was to be made upon receiving the Notification of Award (NOA), with the remaining 50% due after signing the contract. The agreement also states that Setul, as the second party, would act on behalf of the contractor to secure the work.

Setul is also alleged to have cited previous successful dealings with various firms. In a recorded conversation, he reportedly said:
"I have secured tenders for six companies. I handled a jetty project in Sandwip, a project with Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), one with Monalisa, and a Tk 27 crore dredging project with Rib Dredging. All of these were based on similar agreements. It benefits both parties."

The complaint further includes messages from Setul to one of the contractors, where he allegedly exerted pressure to finalize a deal. In a WhatsApp message, he wrote: "If you don’t take the project, I will cancel the deal." When the contractor expressed uncertainty, Setul allegedly replied, "There’s nothing I can do. I was with my brother (Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa) last night. He has instructed me directly."

The letter urges the Shipping Ministry to launch a formal investigation and take appropriate action against what it calls a “syndicate” involved in manipulating public tenders under false pretenses.