Copper cable theft at Matarbari plant: ACC sues ex-CPGCBL MD, 5 others

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case yesterday against Abul Kalam Azad, former managing director of Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Ltd (CPGCBL), along with five others, for embezzling 56.96 tonnes of copper cable worth Tk 17 crore from the Matarbari Coal Power Plant in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar.
Md Ashanul Kabir Palash, deputy director of the ACC Dhaka head office, filed the case with the ACC’s Cox’s Bazar Integrated District Office.
In addition to Azad, the other accused include Alfaz Uddin, assistant security manager of CPGCBL; Mohammad Iqbal, owner of Chattogram-based Iqbal Marine; Md Rayhan, security in charge of Korean company Posco Engineering & Construction; Nizam Uddin and Md Selim, two employees of Iqbal Marine.
The ACC said that if further involvement of other individuals is uncovered during the investigation, their names will be added to the case.
The case follows an August 31 joint operation by the Navy and Coast Guard, which arrested two individuals attempting to smuggle 56.96 tonnes of copper cable from the Matarbari plant. During their initial interrogation, the arrestees alleged that the embezzlement was orchestrated by a syndicate led by Abul Kalam Azad, then MD of CPGCBL.
A general diary (GD) was filed the next day by Mizanul Hasan, assistant security manager of CPGCBL, accusing Azad and the other suspects, along with seven-eight unidentified individuals. Following the GD, the ACC began investigating and formally filed the case as part of an ongoing inquiry into corruption allegations involving several Matarbari plant officials.
Upon learning of the corruption charges, Azad was immediately removed from his position, said Adviser for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan in a press briefing in Cox’s Bazar.
According to the GD, two containers of copper cable were stolen and transported to Iqbal Marine by a syndicate that included the former CPGCBL MD Azad, Executive Director (Finance) Mohammed Shahid Ullah, Chief Engineer (Planning & Design) Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Deputy General Manager (Admin) Mohammad Motiur Rahman, and Executive Engineer (Design-1) Kamrul Islam, with assistance from security staff Alfaz Uddin and Md Rayhan.