UNO accused of demolishing govt building, selling materials without tender

The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Daudkandi, Nasreen Akhter, has been accused of demolishing the government residence of the Upazila Chairman without following official procedures. The duplex, known as 'Paira', was razed without declaring it abandoned, inviting tenders, publishing auction notices, or depositing funds to the treasury. She is alleged to have sold the salvaged materials and embezzled the proceeds.

The building, constructed in the 1990s, was vandalised during the July 2024 protests but its structure remained intact. Under government rules, demolition requires a condemnation committee formed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) following an application from the UNO. An investigation revealed that the then-UNO Naima Islam initiated the process in March 2025, but it stalled after Executive Engineer Abdul Matin was transferred.

The Upazila Engineering Office estimated the building's materials at Tk 4.14 lakh and demolition costs at Tk 2.65 lakh, with a minimum bid of Tk 1.49 lakh. After taking charge in August 2025, Nasreen Akhter allegedly ordered the demolition in December without following procedures, selling off doors, windows, rods and bricks.

Following the controversy, a condemnation committee meeting was held on July 19. Eyewitnesses said demolition took place over 10-12 days, with materials removed at night. UNO Nasreen Akhter has avoided comment, while the DC has assigned the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) to investigate.