An investigative report by Ekattor TV has exposed misuse of authority by Adilur Rahman Khan, a former adviser in the Yunus-led interim government, who is accused of forcibly constructing a private access road to his home by evicting neighboring residents, including members of the Hindu community, without compensation or justification.
According to the report by journalist Sumonto Tanvir, aired on Ekattor TV, an existing government road already provides access to Adilur Rahman Khan’s residence in Munshiganj. Despite this, shortly after taking oath as adviser, he allegedly initiated the construction of a new paved road directly in front of his house for personal convenience.
Locals claim the road serves no public purpose and was built solely to benefit his property.
Reporters measured the road and found it exceeds 16 feet in width, despite official plans specifying only 12 feet. Villagers allege that homes and properties in the path—described by some as belonging to Hindu families and private land—were demolished overnight using the influence of “khas land” declarations, with no compensation provided. One resident stated, “This is private land belonging to Hindus. He has not developed anything for the people; instead, he has caused harm.”
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Affected families accused local administration of blindly complying with the adviser’s wishes. They claimed court orders were ignored, and when surveyors arrived to measure, protests were suppressed after direct intervention from Adilur Rahman Khan via phone, halting legal proceedings.
The Deputy Commissioner reportedly met victims cordially but also issued threats. Residents noted the new route saves only two minutes to the market compared to the old alternative path, which takes four minutes, questioning its necessity amid thousands of families relying on the main public road.
The contractor involved spoke candidly about repeated changes: the road was initially built at 12 feet, then expanded to 14 feet with walls, later demolished and rebuilt to 18 feet (and even discussed at 20 feet) to allow vehicle maneuvering. “To please the adviser saheb, we did it this way, causing us significant losses,” the contractor said, adding that extra work costs remain unpaid.
The Upazila Executive Engineer confirmed the expansions were made per the adviser’s “intent,” admitting it was unprecedented in his experience and that the department was not initially involved. Violating the Detailed Project Plan (DPP) by altering design is a punishable offense, yet it appears to have been overlooked.
At the Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner’s office, the DC stated he had not visited the site, would investigate, and noted that since the court had issued a status quo, no further action was taken. A signboard was reportedly removed, or it would be. However, questions about how land was declared “khas” during an ongoing court case remained unanswered.
Attempts to contact former adviser Adilur Rahman Khan for comment—via repeated calls and messages—yielded no response.
The report also mentioned a separate allegation: during his tenure, Adilur Rahman Khan constructed a bridge in his village in under a month, purportedly to benefit a childhood friend’s factory. Locals said, “They studied together, so he gave as much as he could.” Factory representatives declined to comment.
Officials like the secretary, Rajuk chairman, and others from Dhaka who previously visited regularly for the controversial road now remain silent.
The Ekattor TV investigation, captured by cameramen S.A. Bappi and Mobarak Hossain Shuvo, has sparked outrage over alleged abuse of power during the interim period, raising questions about accountability now that the government has transitioned.