A contractor named Anisur Rahman, also known as Tipu, has been allocated space to set up a shop inside Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka. The space was allotted without any tender process, even though shops have never previously been allowed at that location. The site is also outside the station’s approved layout.
The space for the shop at Kamalapur is only one of several railway-related contracts Anisur Rahman has recently secured. He has emerged as a dominant figure in railway contracting, obtaining multiple contracts, including leases for public toilets. Meanwhile, a company owned by his wife is set to receive the lease for the parking area at Airport Railway Station.
According to railway sources, Anisur Rahman often introduces himself as a friend of certain ministers and members of parliament and is alleged to use political influence to secure contracts. He has denied the allegations. However, questions have been raised over how he managed to obtain shop space at a location where no one else had previously been permitted to operate.
Asked about the matter, Bangladesh Railway Director General Afzal Hossain told Prothom Alo that a shop was needed inside the station for passengers and that shop spaces could legally be allocated without a tender.
When asked why previous applications for shop space inside the station had been rejected while Anisur Rahman received approval, the director general said he was unaware of past decisions.
Regarding Anisur Rahman’s repeated success in securing railway contracts, Afzal Hossain said, “They have influence at Kamalapur. Whether they are monopolising the contracts needs to be examined. They did not receive work during the Awami League government. They may now be getting some.”
Who is Anisur Rahman?
During the Awami League government, which was ousted in the July mass uprising, contracting, land leases and parking operations in the Kamalapur railway area were reportedly controlled by Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, then organising secretary of the Dhaka city south unit Jubo League.
Khaled was arrested in 2019 during the government’s anti-casino and anti-illegal gambling crackdown.
Railway sources say Anisur Rahman was one of Khaled’s close contractors. During the tenure of the interim government, he reportedly developed close ties with BNP leaders, particularly Munshi Rafiqul Alam Majnu, the BNP lawmaker for Feni-1 and convener of Dhaka South BNP, who is also a railway contractor.
The sources also said Anisur sometimes introduces State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid as a personal friend.
Responding to the allegations, Habibur Rashid told Prothom Alo that he knows many businesspeople operating in the Shahjahanpur railway area, but that does not mean they have received any undue advantage after he assumed office.
“They (Rafiqul Alam and Anisur) are long-time contractors,” he said. “I have had no role in awarding them contracts, nor have I recommended them.”
Shop allocation at Kamalapur, multiple railway contracts
Kamalapur Railway Station is the country’s busiest rail hub, serving more than 100,000 passengers daily. It is also designated as a Key Point Installation (KPI).
Inside the station, directly in front of the platforms, is an open area of around 12,000 square feet, shaded by about 30 trees and equipped with seating for passengers. Considered one of the station’s most commercially attractive spots, the area has now been partially allocated to Sikdar Construction, a company owned by contractor Anisur Rahman, for a food outlet.
Although the allocated shop itself measures 480 square feet, the business will effectively be able to use the entire 12,000-square-foot open area as its customer seating space.
Railway authorities issued the final allocation letter on 4 June after the company applied in March. The annual lease has been fixed at Tk 250 per square foot, or less than Tk 21 per square foot a month, bringing the monthly rent to around Tk 10,000—the same rate charged for shops outside the station.
Bangladesh Railway operates 485 stations across the country. Depending on their size and layout, some stations have designated spaces for two or three bookshops or fast-food outlets.
During the interim government’s tenure, the railway introduced a policy requiring open tenders for shop allocations at stations. Railway Director General Afzal Hossain subsequently instructed officials not to allocate shop space without competitive bidding.
Following the directive, shops at eight stations in the western zone were leased through tenders, while the eastern zone also invited bids.
Despite the policy, the Kamalapur shop was allocated to Anisur Rahman without a tender.
Many people had previously sought permission to establish a shop at the same location but were turned down by the railway authorities. Anisur Rahman, however, secured the allocation.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, he acknowledged that many others had sought the space but said he had been selected because he was considered qualified.
It is true that many people wanted the site, he said. I was considered eligible. More than a business venture, this is my passion. I want to build the shop on the model of those abroad, he added.
Responding to allegations that he introduces State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid as a personal friend, Anisur said they had lived in the same neighbourhood for many years.
That doesn’t mean I receive favours from the state minister or that he extends any special benefits to me. If that were the case, I would have been awarded much larger railway projects, he said.
He also said he had known MP Rafiqul Alam Majnu for many years and denied operating any tender syndicate.
The projects we are getting are relatively small. Our goal is to qualify for larger contracts in the future, he said.
Railway sources said that between March and June, 19 contracts were awarded through tenders in the Dhaka railway division. Of those, 10 went to Sikdar Construction, seven to EMA Enterprise, owned by MP Rafiqul Alam, and two to Sharif & Sons. The contracts are valued at between Tk 1 million and Tk 50 million.
Two senior railway officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sikdar Construction has limited experience with large-scale projects and is therefore focusing on smaller contracts to build its track record before bidding for bigger ones.
They added that smaller contracts generally receive less oversight, making them more profitable.
Toilet and parking leases
Passengers using public toilets at railway stations are charged Tk 5 to Tk 10 per visit, making them a lucrative source of revenue.
Railway sources said that after the fall of the Awami League government, Anisur Rahman took control of public toilet leases at railway stations in Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, Shayestaganj, Bhairab Bazar, Narsingdi and Joydebpur without competitive bidding.
The sources also said the parking area at Airport Railway Station is set to be leased to a company owned by Anisur Rahman’s wife, Rezwana Rahman.
Other contractors have alleged that Anisur Rahman's wife was not the highest bidder for the Airport Railway Station parking lease. According to them, Majumdar Enterprise had submitted the lowest bid.
They said all bids were scheduled to be opened on 17 February at the Dhaka Divisional Estate Office in the presence of the participating contractors. However, the bids were not opened that day. Instead, they were opened the following day without notifying the bidders.
Majumdar Enterprise has filed a complaint with the secretary of the Ministry of Railways over the matter. The issue has yet to be resolved.
Regarding the lease of railway station public toilets and the parking area, Anisur Rahman said he had taken the parking lease. However, he denied leasing public toilets, saying he had not gone "that low". According to him, others had leased the public toilets using his company's licence.
Meanwhile, BNP lawmaker Munshi Rafiqul Alam has leased one of the public toilets at Airport Railway Station.
When asked about it, Rafiqul Alam said, "The junior people handle these things. We don't get involve in those things."
He added that he had been a railway contractor since 1997. During the Awami League government, he said, BNP-affiliated contractors could not even go near Rail Bhaban. Now they are trying to secure work. He also said that tenders are conducted online and no one can simply award contracts to anyone.
Regarding his relationship with Anisur Rahman (Tipu), Rafiqul Alam said, “It would be wrong to claim he did not know him. I don’t do business colluding with syndicates.”
‘Disappointing’
Government contracts in Bangladesh have long been dominated by contractors with close ties to the party in power. During the Awami League administration, a small group of contractors allegedly secured a disproportionate share of public projects, amid accusations that ministers and officials received financial and other benefits in return. Critics say the practice fuelled irregularities, corruption and poor value for public spending.
Describing the allegations as "disappointing", Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman told Prothom Alo that the information involving contractors close to the ruling party, a member of parliament and government offices appeared to be a major example of conflict of interest and violations of established rules.
He said the government's top leadership had taken several positive and encouraging initiatives. However, it was disappointing that irregularities appeared to have emerged so quickly at the ministry level.
Iftekharuzzaman warned that unless such practices were stopped, the government's efforts at the highest level to bring about positive change would not produce the desired results.
