Despite allegations of corruption involving hundreds of crores of taka in various projects of the Department of Youth Development during the Awami League era, the freezing of bank accounts and a travel ban, E-Learning and Earning Limited has reportedly secured a Tk 210 million AI training contract, raising questions about how the company continues to secure government projects.

There are allegations that E-Learning and Earning Managing Director Masud Alam was a close aide and alleged financier of former Youth and Sports Minister Zahid Ahsan Russel and a follower of Nahim Razzaq, a former Awami League lawmaker from Shariatpur. Sources allege that, with the lobbying of a network of former and serving bureaucrats sympathetic to the Awami League, Masud continues to exercise considerable influence over the Department of Youth Development.

According to sources, on July 19, E-Learning and Earning Limited was awarded Packages 1 and 3 of the Department of Youth Development’s project titled “Skills Development of IT-Knowledgeable Youth through Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology”, covering Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna and Barisal divisions. The company is also serving as the lead agency of the project.

Allegations of irregularities have surrounded the project from the outset. It is alleged that Masud secured government contracts through commission-based dealings and the support of a network of former and serving bureaucrats aligned with the Awami League. He has also faced allegations of embezzling funds by showing fake trainees in training programmes.

During the interim government, former Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain reportedly recommended E-Learning and Earning Limited for training activities. However, the proposal was eventually rejected because of the company’s alleged links with the Awami League. Despite this, media reports indicate that the company ultimately secured the work.

Questions had also been raised from the beginning about the company’s eligibility for government projects. Critics allege that Masud accumulated hundreds of crores of taka through his links with former State Minister Zahid Ahsan Russel.

Masud Alam’s Awami League Links

An investigation into Masud Alam’s political connections found allegations that he was a close associate and alleged cashier of former Youth and Sports State Minister Zahid Ahsan Russel during the Awami League government’s tenure. His company directly received several projects from the ministry during that period.

Masud was reportedly known within the Department of Youth Development and other government offices as a close associate of the then Youth and Sports State Minister.

In an interview with a private television channel, Masud said that his family had suffered after the BNP came to power in 2001. He said his father, Azahar Uddin, was involved with the Awami League and went into hiding at the time, forcing him to take responsibility for the family. He also said he could not complete even his primary education.

Masud Alam was elected president of the National Youth Council in 2023. Photographs of campaign posters and banners from his panel have been obtained by this newspaper. The posters featured images of Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and then State Minister Zahid Ahsan Russel, indicating that the panel was backed by the Awami League.

Masud also contested an Upazila Parishad election held during the Awami League government’s tenure. His campaign posters featured a photograph of Nahim Razzaq, the then Awami League lawmaker from Shariatpur.

In various reports published during the election, Masud described himself as “a soldier inspired by the ideals of Bangabandhu.” He reportedly claimed that he had worked for the Awami League from behind the scenes and operated a social media page titled “Sheikh Hasinay Astha” (Faith in Sheikh Hasina) under instructions from the Prime Minister’s office and the Youth and Sports Ministry.

He also claimed to have received several national awards, including the Smart Bangladesh Award 2023, the Sheikh Hasina Youth Volunteer Award 2022 and the National Youth Award 2023. He was also reportedly recognised as the best self-employed individual in Dhaka division in 2022 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

In his election-related profile, Masud reportedly identified his father Azahar Uddin as a dedicated Awami League activist and his younger brother Russel Alam as a dedicated Bangladesh Chhatra League activist. He also expressed his intention to contest the Goshairhat Upazila Parishad election with the support of local Awami League lawmaker Nahim Razzaq.

Detained with a Sack of Cash

Masud Alam has also been accused of taking a position against students and the public during the July uprising.

On August 7, 2024, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, students and members of the public stopped a private car (Dhaka Metro-Gha-15-1581) at a signal in the Uttara House Building area. A sack containing around Tk 150 million in cash was reportedly found inside the vehicle.

At the time, students said they had stopped the vehicle after receiving information that the money was allegedly being transported to people associated with former minister Zahid Ahsan Russel in Gazipur. The vehicle reportedly carried a sticker identifying it as belonging to the Home Ministry.

Masud Alam was reportedly inside the vehicle. He later identified himself as the managing director of Promiz Group and was handed over to the Army.

Masud, however, claimed at the time that the money was intended to pay employees’ salaries. He said the company had to pay Tk 600,000 in each of 16 districts and that office rent alone amounted to Tk 3.2 million.

Masud in the ACC Net

After Sheikh Hasina left the country following the anti-discrimination student movement, Masud Alam came under scrutiny from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after his detention with the cash-filled sack.

According to ACC sources, his personal bank accounts and the accounts of E-Learning and Earning were frozen over allegations of acquiring assets beyond known sources of income. Travel restrictions were also imposed on Masud and his wife, Ayesha Siddika.

Sources claim that, following subsequent lobbying and negotiations, the company’s accounts containing hundreds of crores of taka were removed from the frozen-account list, while Masud’s personal accounts remain frozen.

When contacted, E-Learning and Earning Managing Director Masud Alam denied the allegations.

He said, “None of these allegations is true. I am not a big businessman, yet I do not understand why my competitors are spreading such information. The ACC cannot keep a business company’s accounts frozen, which is why they were released from the seizure list. However, my personal account is still frozen.”

Youth and Sports Minister Md Aminul Haque said he was not aware of the allegations.

“I was not aware of these matters. It has been noted. Appropriate action will be taken,” he said.