A labour inspector was caught red-handed in Kuakata, Patuakhali, on allegations of taking bribes from residential hotel owners in exchange for issuing new licences and renewing existing ones. The inspector, identified as Md Shahab Uddin, was detained by leaders of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association. A total of Tk 37,000 allegedly collected from three hotels was recovered. Later, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Arifuzzaman returned the money to the hotel authorities.

The incident took place on Friday (October 30). Shahab Uddin was accused of demanding Tk 50,000 from Kuakata Palace and Hotel Shaibal for licence renewal. Around 9pm, leaders of the Hotel-Motel Owners Association caught him red-handed.

Witnesses said the inspector visited several residential hotels in Kuakata throughout the day, demanding money in the name of licence renewal and issuing new licences. They alleged that hotel authorities who refused to pay were threatened with legal action.

Leaders of the Hotel-Motel Owners Association alleged that the inspector had been secretly collecting large sums of money from different hotels over the past two years by threatening owners with lawsuits. They said several attempts had been made to discuss the matter with him, but no solution was reached.

Md Mithun, director of Hotel South Star, said the inspector had visited their hotel a few days earlier and demanded Tk 25,000. When they refused to pay, he filed a case against the hotel. On Friday afternoon, he allegedly returned and offered to withdraw the case and stop further harassment in exchange for Tk 30,000. The hotel authorities then paid him the money, Mithun said.

Md Sabuj, owner of Hotel Sea Level, said the inspector had previously taken Tk 37,000 from him several months ago by threatening to file a case. On Friday, he again demanded Tk 8,000 for licence renewal. As Sabuj did not have the full amount, he paid Tk 5,000 and promised to send the remaining Tk 3,000 through bKash that night.

Jasim Uddin Babul Bhuiyan, international affairs secretary of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association, alleged that the official had been secretly collecting money from hotel owners in this manner for the past two years. He said they had twice proposed holding discussions with the inspector and senior officials to establish a transparent process for obtaining licences by depositing the prescribed fees into the government treasury. However, the inspector did not agree and instead continued to demand money by threatening legal action.

Bhuiyan called on the authorities concerned to withdraw the inspector from Kuakata and take legal action against him.

Nabin Howlader, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments in Barishal, said they had learned that Shahab Uddin had visited Kuakata in his personal capacity. He said government officials were not authorised to collect licence fees in cash.

According to Howlader, the department issues licences under categories A, B and C, with the maximum renewal fee being Tk 1,500. He said the allegations against the inspector would be discussed with the higher authorities and appropriate legal action would be taken.

Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Arifuzzaman said he went to the scene after receiving information that the labour inspector was collecting money from different places. He said the allegations appeared to have preliminary merit and the money taken from the hotel authorities had been returned. A report would be submitted to the departmental authorities for appropriate legal action, he added.

Md Shahab Uddin is employed as a Labour Inspector (General) under the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, which operates under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. He is a 38th BCS non-cadre officer and has been working in Barishal for the past four years.