Forest official flees Patuakhali station after allegations of extorting bribes from local fishermen
Photo Collected
A Forest Department official in Patuakhali’s Rangabali Upazila has allegedly abandoned his duty station after collecting bribes from local fishermen in exchange for promised fishing permits in areas adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Shoeb Khan, the acting beat officer for Moudubi Union, reportedly left his post without completing a formal handover after multiple complainants demanded refunds for permits that were never issued.
Evidence of the illicit transactions emerged through a leaked 20-minute audio recording, in which Khan is heard acknowledging the receipt of money from multiple parties. In the recording, Khan, who was present alongside his successor Jahir Uddin, pledged to return the funds to those who did not receive the promised fishing grounds. He stated that he intended to resolve all outstanding financial disputes before his departure.
According to local regulations, fishermen are required to pay a government-mandated fee of 575 taka to secure permits for fishing vessels with specific dimensions. However, affected individuals allege that Khan demanded sums ranging from 25,000 to 400,000 taka per person, purportedly to grant access to rivers, canals, and grazing lands for livestock.
Ilias Patwari, a local fisherman, stated that he paid 100,000 taka for a permit that was never provided. After failing to receive the documentation, he and several others confronted the officer at his office on the night of July 22 to demand a refund. Similar allegations were made by local Union Parishad member Mohasin Uddin Bhuiyan, who claimed he paid 100,000 taka, and Tanbin Biswas, president of the Moudubi Union Volunteer Party, who alleged he paid 86,000 taka. Biswas later recovered 40,000 taka through an intermediary on July 25.
Jahir Uddin, who recently assumed the position, confirmed that he has been contacted by several locals seeking refunds following Khan’s abrupt departure. Uddin stated that Khan left the office without following proper administrative protocols, leaving the incoming officer to handle the mounting complaints.
When reached for comment, Shoeb Khan dismissed the allegations as “unnecessary accusations” stemming from his transfer. He claimed to have resolved most of the issues but failed to provide further details or respond to subsequent requests for comment.
Amir Hossain, the Range Officer for Rangabali Upazila who took charge on July 22, confirmed that he received verbal complaints from locals regarding the bribes during a site visit to Moudubi. However, Hossain denied signing any documents detailing the specific amounts owed to the victims, as alleged by some complainants. Efforts to reach the Divisional Forest Officer of Patuakhali, Jahidur Rahman Mia, for comment were unsuccessful.
0%
0%
0%
0%
