In a covert move, Rangpur City Corporation has reportedly issued 37 auto-rickshaw licenses without any formal decision or meeting, despite the licenses having been completely prohibited for the past eight years.
Allegations have emerged that over Tk20 lakh was misappropriated in the process.
Although the issuance was conducted secretly, the license fees were not deposited into the City Corporation’s treasury.
Furthermore, it has been alleged that the file containing the licenses has been hidden in the drawer of a single official to suppress the matter.
According to sources, a city corporation official from the licensing department issued the 37 auto-rickshaw licenses on or before September 8, in coordination with three other officials, bypassing any formal meetings or approvals.
The licenses issued carried numbers ranging from 5,211 to 5,346, despite the previous maximum license number being 5,311.
Upon examination, it was found that the license stub numbered 5,345 only contained one person’s photograph with no name, address, or date, though it bore the signature and seal of the head of the trade license section, Mizanur Rahman Miju.
Similarly, license number 5,346 included the name and photograph of Md Ruknur Jaman Riyad but lacked address and date details.
This has raised suspicions of deliberate malpractice.
Employees of the licensing department revealed that when the matter came to light, 11 responsible staff members reported to Mizanur Rahman Miju, who admitted that 37 licenses had been issued.
According to regulations, each license should have involved a Tk17,500 fee deposited in the bank, but no funds were reportedly transferred to the city corporation treasury.
The head of the City Corporation, Umme Fatema, when contacted via mobile, said that she was unaware of the license issuance. She later said she had delegated the responsibility and could not comment further. Multiple attempts to contact Mizanur Rahman Miju were unsuccessful, though it has been confirmed that he has since been transferred from the licensing department to the conservancy section of the corporation. The newly appointed officer, Nur Alam, reportedly remains off duty due to an accident.
Efforts to reach the current acting officer of the licensing department, Tanzila Tasnim, were unsuccessful as her phone remained busy despite over 100 calls.
Staff members allege that the license file has been deliberately kept in her drawer to prevent disclosure of the information.
Rangpur City Corporation’s recently appointed administrator, Ashraful Islam, said that the matter is under study and any irregularities will be addressed appropriately.
Eight years ago, following a joint meeting of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, district and divisional administration, and the City Corporation, it was decided to prohibit the issuance of new auto-rickshaw and mechanically operated rickshaw licenses in the city due to severe traffic congestion on the main thoroughfare.
At that time, the total number of licensed auto-rickshaws in Rangpur City Corporation stood at 5,311. No new licenses were issued thereafter, and no additional license plates were supplied.
The recent clandestine issuance of 37 licenses has therefore sparked widespread outrage across the city, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability within the corporation.
