The Anti Corruption Commission has arrested 13 people including former executive engineer of Public Works Department Masudul Alam over allegation of corruption in the housing project for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project (RNPP) in Pabna.
They were arrested on Thursday (Dec 12) from Dhaka’s Shegunbagicha, ACC sources confirmed.
The other arrestees are Pabna public housing division deputy assistant engineer Md Jahidul Kabir, deputy divisional engineers Md Shafiqul Islam, Ahmed Sazzad Khan, Mostafa Kamal, estimator and deputy assistant engineer Shumon Kumar Nandi, assistant engineers Md Tareque, Aminul Islam, Abu Syed, Rowshan Ali, Tahajjud Hossain, Majid and Sons owner Asif Hossain and Sazin Construction Limited owner Md Shahadat Hossain.

Later in the day, a Dhaka court sent all of 13 accused to jail in the cases rejecting bail petition.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nivana Khayer Jessy handed the order on Thursday evening after the graft watchdog produced them before it.
The government has launched an inquiry into the abnormally high prices of articles being used to furnish apartments in multi-storey buildings at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project (RNPP) in Pabna.
Two probe committees—one from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and another from the Public Works Department—has been formed to investigate the matter, said M Iftekhar Hossain, public relations officer of the ministry.
On May 19, this year Barrister Sayedul Haque Suman moved a petition seeking a judicial inquiry into the allegations of irregularities in purchasing furniture and other items for the RNPP apartments.
On May 20, the High Court ordered the submission of an investigation report by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the abnormally high cost of furnishing apartments at the RNPP project.
The Ministry of Housing and PWD formed two probe committees to investigate the allegations.
On Jun 2, High Court issued a rule asking authorities concerned to answer within four weeks why it has failed to ensure honesty and transparency in purchasing furniture and other household items for the officials and employees of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) project.
According to media reports, the procurement prices of various household articles used to furnish the RNPP project apartments were abnormally higher than the market price.
The media reports claimed that each of the pillows was purchased for Tk 5,957, and the cost of transporting was Tk 760 each, while an electric stove reportedly cost Tk 7,747 and transporting it—from the bottom floor to upstairs—cost Tk 6,650.
Moreover, the purchasing price of an electric kettle was cited as Tk 5,313, and its transportation cost cited as Tk 2,945. A vacuum cleaner was reportedly purchased for Tk 12,018 and transported upstairs for a charge of Tk 6,650.
The report also claimed the price of an electric iron had been cited as Tk 4,154. Transporting the iron cost Tk 2,945.
Moreover, a television reportedly cost Tk 86,970 and carrying it upstairs cost Tk 7,698. A refrigerator also reportedly cost Tk 94,250, and its carrying cost was Tk 12,521.
The purchases were made to furnish 966 apartments constructed for the Russian engineers and officials working on the project.