Cultural activists demanded speedy removal and punishment of corrupt cultural officer in Narail

 

Ujjal Ray

Narail District Representative:

Narail District Art Academy's promiscuous and corrupt cultural officer Hamidur Rahman was declared unwelcome by the cultural workers and told to be removed and punished quickly. On Friday (March 15) at around 11 o'clock in front of the Narail District Art Academy, cultural activists also protested, surrounded and gathered. Organized by the Cultural Officer of the District Art Academy's Anti-Imperialism and Corruption Committee, President of the Struggle Committee Veermuktijoddha Saifur Rahman Hilu addressed the protest rally, cultural personality Roshan Ara Kabir Lilly, Sammilit Sanskultur Jot Narail President Malay Kumar Kundu, General Secretary Sharful Alam Litu, Murchhana Sangeet Niketan. General Secretary Prashant Sarkar, Niranjan Bishas, ​​teacher of Music Department of District Arts Academy and others.

Speakers in the rally said that this corrupt officer has committed corruption of around 50 lakh rupees in the name of various programs, training, workshops, auditorium renovation in the last one year. At various times the Cultural Officer has humiliated the teachers and staff of Shilpakala Academy and expelled him from the arts. For these reasons, the teacher of Shilpakala Academy has boycotted classes for the last 10 days. I don't want to see this promiscuous and corrupt person even for a day. They announced that the Shilpakala Academy would be locked if this officer did not leave Narail within a week.

Later, the cultural activists took a stand in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and met the Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashfaqul Haque Chowdhury. At that time, the Deputy Commissioner said in a response that recently a report has been sent to the Secretary for Cultural Affairs to take departmental action against him (Calchalal Officer). He also said that he had spoken to the higher authorities in this regard.

The teachers and members of Shilpakala Academy complained that the District Cultural Officer Hamidur Rahman did not give several lakhs of rupees as government fixed for artists, judges and workers in various programs after joining in January 2023. Even though Tk 10 lakh was needed for the renovation of the district art auditorium, he did the work himself by showing the tender in the notebook. So far this corrupt officer has extorted about 50 lakh taka from Narail. Besides, during the classes of different branches of music in Shilpakala Academy, the cultural officer misbehaved with the music students and their parents. And also takes extra admission and salary from the students.

On December 13 last year, the leaders of the Narail Collective Cultural Alliance submitted a written complaint to District Commissioner Mohammad Ashfaqul Haque Chowdhury against various irregularities and corruption of the District Cultural Officer. In view of this, on December 24, cultural workers, students, parents and businessmen testified various allegations against the cultural officer at the office of the Deputy Commissioner. The district administration sent a report to the cultural affairs secretary on February 6 to take departmental action against the cultural officer after investigating various irregularities and corruption.

Regarding these allegations, District Cultural Officer Md. Hamidur Rahman said, a conspiracy has been raised against him. He claimed that the report of various irregularities and corruption against him by the district administration was false.