Dhaka South City Corporation probes misappropriation of community center funds amid ghost booking scandal
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Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is investigating allegations that rental income from its Gendaria community center was misappropriated after records revealed 23 unauthorized events went undocumented in official ledgers over a four-month period.
An internal audit conducted by the corporation identified a significant discrepancy when comparing the community center’s official registry with logs maintained by the facility’s decorator service. While DSCC records documented 131 events between December 4 and March 31, bringing in 3.68 million taka, the decorator’s logs confirmed an additional 23 events occurred during the same timeframe. These undocumented gatherings, which utilized both the ground and second floors of the facility, were absent from the caretaker’s official books.
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The misappropriation reportedly involves approximately 1.15 million taka, covering venue rental, electricity, water, air conditioning charges, and value-added tax. Under current municipal regulations, no social event center may be utilized without payment, yet these funds never reached the city corporation’s treasury.
Suspicion has fallen on Assistant Social Welfare Officer Saidur Rahman and supervisor Amaresh Mondal Ratan. Several DSCC employees allege that Rahman, who has claimed political affiliation with the BNP following the fall of the previous government last August, used his influence to evade accountability. When contacted for comment, Rahman did not respond to follow-up inquiries, while Mondal declined to provide an official statement.
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Some sources within the facility suggested that the unrecorded events were political in nature, complicating fee collection, while others claimed the discrepancy was part of an internal power struggle designed to frame current staff.
In response to the findings, the DSCC has recommended departmental action against the involved social welfare officers and the facility’s caretaker, including the possibility of immediate suspension. Dhaka South City Administrator Abdus Salam confirmed that the corporation has decided to pursue disciplinary cases against the accused officials. He emphasized that there will be no leniency regarding the missing funds and noted that the city is accelerating plans to implement an online booking system to prevent future irregularities.
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