Published: 08:20 AM, 07 October 2025 Last Update: 08:23 AM, 07 October 2025
One official runs office at Bangla Academy as project director after retirement
Dr. Hasan Kabir, former Director (Administration) of Bangla Academy continues to attend office as the Project Director even after officially retiring from government service. For the past nine months, he has been illegally carrying out project work from an office within the Academy building.
Such a precedent is reportedly the first of its kind in the history of Bangladesh. The reporter has found sufficient evidence of this unprecedented situation. This official, who was appointed Project Director during the time of the "fascist Sheikh Hasina government," retired in December 2024 but, due to the influence of some "invisible power," he is still performing the duties of Project Director inside the Bangla Academy. He was last seen working in his office on the sixth floor of the Bangla Academy Library building on September 30th. This incident has caused a huge stir among the Bangla Academy staff.
Allegations of Corruption, Irregularities, and Financial Misconduct
Investigation reveals that during his tenure as the Project Director (PD) for the Bangla Academy Library Modernization Project, Dr. Hasan Kabir began the project with a contractor trusted by Junaid Ahmed Palak, allegedly with the direct cooperation of Awami League government's State Minister for Cultural Affairs, K M Khalid. The project was valued at BDT 19.66 crore. There are rumors that he became the PD for this project in exchange for BDT 5 crore paid to Minister K M Khalid.
The scale of irregularities and corruption under his leadership was reportedly so vast that the new State Minister for Cultural Affairs, formed after the "2024 vote theft," personally inspected the project and suspended the work after finding concrete evidence of corruption. After being shut down for almost six months, and following the fall of the "autocratic fascist government" on August 5, 2024, the work was resumed through the direct intervention of the then Ministry Secretary, Ataur Rahman.
It is noteworthy that former Secretary Ataur Rahman and Project Director Dr. Hasan Kabir were classmates at Bangladesh Agricultural University. The existing good relationship stemming from their shared student life led to the resumption of the suspended work. Hundreds of people began working day and night. However, the work still could not be finished on time. The project deadline was extended for another six months until June 30, 2025. Even so, the work was not completed within the extended period.
In the midst of this, Dr. Hasan Kabir retired on December 31, 2024. Thus, he was both retired and had failed to properly complete the work even after the extension. He faces accusations of having spent project funds irregularly and of embezzlement. It is alleged that he favored certain contractors for the work, enabling him to embezzle a huge sum of money. Although a total of five lots of work were awarded in 2018, four lots remain incomplete. An audit report from 2019 also blamed the Project Director's irregularities for the failure to complete the project.
Based on all these allegations raised against Dr. Hasan Kabir, the investigating committee recommended filing a departmental case and taking punitive measures. However, no effective action has been taken against him to date.
Personal Debts and Unanswered Questions
The investigation further revealed that while employed, he took personal loans of approximately BDT 3 crore from various Bangla Academy staff, which he has yet to repay. Several creditors, who wished to remain anonymous, told the reporter, "We didn't get our money back even when he had power. And now, he is retired but still working.
In response to these questions, Bangla Academy Secretary Selim Reza told the reporter over the phone, "The project work is already finished. He is currently on post-retirement leave. After his retirement, the Director General of Bangla Academy was given responsibility for the project by the Ministry. The Director General might occasionally have taken his assistance to finish the project work.
However, he cannot attend the office regularly." When asked to see the letter from the Ministry assigning the project's responsibility to the Director General, he said, "Come to the office and find it."Questioned the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Secretary Mihir Musaki said over the phone, "I am in a meeting, I will talk later."
Such a precedent is reportedly the first of its kind in the history of Bangladesh. The reporter has found sufficient evidence of this unprecedented situation. This official, who was appointed Project Director during the time of the "fascist Sheikh Hasina government," retired in December 2024 but, due to the influence of some "invisible power," he is still performing the duties of Project Director inside the Bangla Academy. He was last seen working in his office on the sixth floor of the Bangla Academy Library building on September 30th. This incident has caused a huge stir among the Bangla Academy staff.
Allegations of Corruption, Irregularities, and Financial Misconduct
Investigation reveals that during his tenure as the Project Director (PD) for the Bangla Academy Library Modernization Project, Dr. Hasan Kabir began the project with a contractor trusted by Junaid Ahmed Palak, allegedly with the direct cooperation of Awami League government's State Minister for Cultural Affairs, K M Khalid. The project was valued at BDT 19.66 crore. There are rumors that he became the PD for this project in exchange for BDT 5 crore paid to Minister K M Khalid.
The scale of irregularities and corruption under his leadership was reportedly so vast that the new State Minister for Cultural Affairs, formed after the "2024 vote theft," personally inspected the project and suspended the work after finding concrete evidence of corruption. After being shut down for almost six months, and following the fall of the "autocratic fascist government" on August 5, 2024, the work was resumed through the direct intervention of the then Ministry Secretary, Ataur Rahman.
It is noteworthy that former Secretary Ataur Rahman and Project Director Dr. Hasan Kabir were classmates at Bangladesh Agricultural University. The existing good relationship stemming from their shared student life led to the resumption of the suspended work. Hundreds of people began working day and night. However, the work still could not be finished on time. The project deadline was extended for another six months until June 30, 2025. Even so, the work was not completed within the extended period.
In the midst of this, Dr. Hasan Kabir retired on December 31, 2024. Thus, he was both retired and had failed to properly complete the work even after the extension. He faces accusations of having spent project funds irregularly and of embezzlement. It is alleged that he favored certain contractors for the work, enabling him to embezzle a huge sum of money. Although a total of five lots of work were awarded in 2018, four lots remain incomplete. An audit report from 2019 also blamed the Project Director's irregularities for the failure to complete the project.
Based on all these allegations raised against Dr. Hasan Kabir, the investigating committee recommended filing a departmental case and taking punitive measures. However, no effective action has been taken against him to date.
Personal Debts and Unanswered Questions
The investigation further revealed that while employed, he took personal loans of approximately BDT 3 crore from various Bangla Academy staff, which he has yet to repay. Several creditors, who wished to remain anonymous, told the reporter, "We didn't get our money back even when he had power. And now, he is retired but still working.
In response to these questions, Bangla Academy Secretary Selim Reza told the reporter over the phone, "The project work is already finished. He is currently on post-retirement leave. After his retirement, the Director General of Bangla Academy was given responsibility for the project by the Ministry. The Director General might occasionally have taken his assistance to finish the project work.
However, he cannot attend the office regularly." When asked to see the letter from the Ministry assigning the project's responsibility to the Director General, he said, "Come to the office and find it."Questioned the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Secretary Mihir Musaki said over the phone, "I am in a meeting, I will talk later."
