Abdul Wadud Dara was the former Member of Parliament (MP) of Rajshahi-5 (Puthia-Durgapur) Constituency and State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives in the Awami League Government. He was MP for 10 years in two terms from 2009 to 2018. After becoming an MP, he became the owner of hundreds of crores of rupees just by doing education and business.
Apart from this, government pond lease, pond excavation, various project commissions were collected. He did not develop in the constituency. But all the family members have improved. He used to live in a mud house in Katidaha village of Puthia upazila. Currently, three two-storied luxury buildings have been constructed for the three brothers on the site of that house. His father Awal Kazi was a marriage registrar. When Dara first became an MP in 2009, he was a co-owner of a small garment company. His daughter is studying in UK. He is alleged to have smuggled money there.
During Dara’s tenure as MP, those who went against him and his family were killed one after another. And those who were killed are all the people around his house. The deceased were Abu Dawood and his son Nuhu. His cousin is Royal. Rice trader Abul and his wife.
There are 150 educational institutions in this seat. After being elected as an MP, there was a complaint of taking commission in the name of constructing a new building for the educational institution of this seat. In its 10 years, at least 10 teachers are appointed in each educational institution. It is alleged that Rs 10 lakh to 30 lakh is taken from each job seeker.
Dara’s uncle, Aliuzzaman Muntu, the former headmaster of Katidah Girls’ School, was the head of education and commerce. Dara used to come to MP’s house to negotiate money for recruitment of various organizations from two upazilas. Muntu spoke to prospective recruits about contracts. Muntur was the name of the Minister of Education then. As long as Dara was an MP, it was mandatory for teachers to be present at each of his political events.
Apart from Muntu, few others used to deal in education and trade. They are Upazila Jubo League president and former mayor Rabiul Islam Rabi, Dhopapara school principal Matiur Rahman Muntu. His cousin Sharif Kazi controlled the electricity business of two upazilas. It was his responsibility to ensure that new electricity connection in an area would bring them income. Ripon, another cousin of Dara, used to work with all tenders at the upazila level for 10 consecutive years. There are hundreds of government khas ponds in the Puthia-Durgapur constituency. Every year he earned crores by leasing the ponds at the price of water. He used to take 40 percent of the money for various developmental work projects including Kabikha Kabitar in two upazilas through the upazila project implementation office. A person named Samen Ghosh was appointed in that office on the role of master. Saman used to collect the commission money of the project implementation office and give it to Dara. Saman is also a millionaire today.
Dara stole money from educational institutions and set up several industries including the Kutland Panel for Electricity in Natore district. He was the president of the local committee of the Ministry of Food. During his time several thousand tons of rotten wheat were imported from Brazil.
BNP central committee member and Puthia Upazila BNP convener Abu Bakkar Siddique said that Abdul Wadud Dara has stolen hundreds of crores from the education sector alone.