The High Court on Thursday directed the Roads and Highways Department to conduct an investigation into the tender process that fixed Tk1,000 as monthly rent for 7,580-square-foot staff canteen at Uttara Depot of MRT Line-6 under Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).
The High Court asked the department's secretary to submit the probe report to the court in a month.
The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed.
It also issued a rule asking the Roads and Highways Department and the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) to explain in four weeks as to why the notification issued by DMTCL on March 14 this year to rent out metro-rail space at cheap rate to operate its staff canteen by Khandaker Enterprise for three years should not be declared illegal.
The court also asked the authorities to explain in four weeks as to why their inaction for taking steps to stop further proceedings over the tender process to rent out the metro rail's staff canteen at only Tk 1,000 per month should not be declared illegal.
The DMTCL initiated the tender process to rent out a 7,580 square feet staff canteen at Uttara Depot of MRT Line-6.
DMTCL notification issued on March 14 said, "The tender fixing Tk1,000 as monthly rent for 7,580 square feet staff canteen at Uttara Depot of MRT Line-6 submitted by contractor Khandaker Enterprise on January 1, 2024 for the purpose of running the staff canteen has been considered acceptable by the DMTCL."
The notification urged the contractor to inform in writing that they have agreed to execute the contract for a period of three years within seven days of issuing the notice.
Md Nazrul Islam, general manager (store and procurement) of the DMTCL, issued the notification also asking the contractor to deposit Tk0.3 million through pay order or bank guarantee as performance security by March 28.
bikashju@gmail.com