Kamal Hossain, a former assistant to a broker at the Cumilla regional passport office, has allegedly amassed wealth worth over Tk 600 crore through illicit means over the past few years. Hossain, who once had humble beginnings, is now under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after being linked to corruption involving tender manipulation, extortion, and land grabbing.

Kamal Hossain rose to prominence after becoming a close associate of Tajul Islam, the former Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and serving as his personal assistant and development coordinator. Sources reveal that following the minister’s recommendation, Hossain gained control over significant contracting work, particularly through the Cumilla Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

The ACC investigation uncovered that Hossain has Tk 15.17 crore in assets, both movable and immovable, registered under his name. Of this amount, Tk 8.93 crore could not be accounted for by legitimate sources of income. While the investigation identified some of his assets, including two floors of a six-storey building in Adarsh Upazila of Cumilla, a Toyota Harrier car, and over Tk 8 crore in bank accounts, locals claim this is only a fraction of his total wealth.

ACC sources confirmed that Hossain’s net assets total Tk 17.13 crore, including family expenses, taxes paid, and unpaid liabilities. However, only Tk 8.2 crore of this amount was found to be legally sourced.

Despite the ACC's investigation, locals allege that Kamal Hossain’s true wealth far exceeds what has been uncovered so far. They claim that the ACC has yet to account for his extensive property portfolio in Cumilla, including a housing estate, several flats, plots of land in Cumilla and Dhaka, as well as Big Bazaar Super Market in the Kandirpar area of Cumilla. These assets are estimated to be worth between Tk 200 crore and Tk 300 crore.

The locals believe Hossain’s total wealth exceeds Tk 600 crore and are demanding the confiscation of his illegal assets.

ACC Cumilla Deputy Director Fazlur Rahman confirmed the investigation is ongoing and that attempts to obtain a statement from Hossain have been unsuccessful as he has gone into hiding. “There have been allegations against Kamal Hossain for acquiring assets beyond his known sources of income. The investigation is continuing, but it has been difficult to contact him since he fled the country,” Rahman stated.

According to multiple reliable sources, Kamal Hossain fled to Dubai shortly after the collapse of the government on August 5, 2023. His whereabouts have since remained unknown, and his mobile phone has been switched off, further complicating the ACC’s efforts to track him down.

Hossain's alleged corruption extended beyond the LGED to the Directorate of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) in Cumilla. During Tajul Islam’s five-and-a-half-year tenure as minister, it is claimed that thousands of crores of taka worth of DPHE contracts were awarded in Cumilla, with Hossain overseeing the hiring of contractors for each project. Sources allege that Hossain took a 10% commission from every contract and was aided by Mohammad Nasrullah, Executive Engineer of DPHE Cumilla, who himself has acquired substantial assets, including plots and flats, through these dealings.

(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 16 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)