Mohammad Nabirul Islam, Additional Registrar (Audit and Law) of the Department of Cooperatives, has faced a range of serious allegations for more than two decades, including fraud, bribery, abuse of power, irregularities and physical assault. Although investigations, show-cause notices and recommendations for departmental action have reportedly been made against him at different times, concerned individuals allege that no effective action has been taken against him.
Nabirul Islam, son of the late Md. Shahidul Islam and a resident of Laxmikole village in Magura, joined the Cooperative Cadre as an Assistant Registrar through the 20th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination. Allegations have also been raised concerning the legitimacy of his recruitment. It has been alleged that he secured the government position under the freedom fighters’ quota by using his father’s allegedly false freedom fighter certificate. A case was filed at Kafrul Police Station in Dhaka on December 11, 2001, in connection with the allegations. According to relevant documents, the then Bureau of Anti-Corruption investigated the case.
According to the allegations, Nabirul Islam had been working as a Junior Research Officer at the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) before appearing in the BCS examination. During that period, he allegedly developed a close relationship with then BPSC member Mahfuzur Rahman and, through financial transactions, obtained assistance in passing the written examination and having his father’s freedom fighter certificate verified. On December 29, 2001, then Bureau of Anti-Corruption official S.M. Akhtar Hamid Bhuiyan summoned him for questioning. Allegations were subsequently raised that the investigating officer prepared a fabricated report in Nabirul Islam’s favour.
He also faced allegations of taking Tk 300,000 in bribes from BCS candidates in exchange for helping them pass the examination while he was working at the BPSC. In connection with the investigation into the allegation, he was summoned for questioning by the then Deputy Director of the Bureau of Anti-Corruption, Shamsul Nahar, on July 2, 2002.
The Kafrul Police Station case was later heard by the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge’s Court as Special Case No. 69/2. It has been alleged that, due to the intervention of influential quarters, the prosecution was instructed to withdraw the case, after which Nabirul Islam was discharged. However, the relevant court records and orders would need to be independently verified to establish the circumstances surrounding the case.
Allegations of financial transactions have also been raised regarding his subsequent postings to important positions. It has been alleged that he paid Tk 300,000 as a bribe to the then Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives to secure the post of Dhaka District Cooperative Officer. According to concerned sources, however, the department had formally proposed another officer as a suitable candidate for the position.
During his tenure as Dhaka District Cooperative Officer, Nabirul Islam was accused of taking bribes in connection with the registration and inspection of cooperative societies and approval of microcredit activities. Complainants allege that illegal payments were collected during inspections and in exchange for registering new cooperative societies. It has further been alleged that he accumulated nearly Tk 10 million through corruption within seven to eight months. Of this amount, approximately Tk 4.5 million was allegedly collected in exchange for the registration of around 1,500 cooperative societies.
He was also accused of taking Tk 1 million in connection with the formation of an ad hoc committee of a cooperative organisation in Mirpur and Tk 2 million in exchange for allegedly covering up irregularities involving The Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative (Bank) Limited. Another allegation concerns an alleged deliberate delay in allowing Tk 5.7 million to be withdrawn from a bank account despite a High Court directive. A number of these allegations were reportedly raised in an investigation report prepared by Cooperative Department Joint Registrar Nazir Ahmed.
There are also allegations concerning the formation of the management committee of the Mohammadpur P.C. Culture Housing Society. It has been alleged that, in violation of a court directive, Nabirul Islam received a valuable three-katha plot in his wife’s name. Similarly, allegations have been raised that he facilitated the registration of fictitious cooperative societies to enable the operations of the organisation known as Jubo Karmasangsthan Society, commonly known as Jubo Karmasangsthan or ‘Jubok’, which had faced regulatory restrictions. Complainants claim that around 150 such societies were registered within three months.
Allegations of physical assault against Nabirul Islam also date back several years. On September 25, 2007, he was accused of assaulting a director of Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank in front of the Cooperative Building. A probe committee headed by then Additional Registrar Kaisarul Alam reportedly found the allegations substantiated. The committee recommended departmental action against Nabirul Islam and several others.
In 2012, while serving at the divisional office in Rajshahi, Nabirul Islam was also accused of facilitating the construction of an unauthorised structure on mortgaged land by a contracting firm, allegedly creating an opportunity for substantial loss of government and cooperative assets. He was further accused of humiliating an official who had objected to the alleged irregularity.
According to complainants, allegations against Nabirul Islam have continued in recent years. On August 19, 2026, an alleged assault took place at the reception area and entrance of the Cooperative Department’s office in Agargaon, Dhaka. Md. Saiful Islam Sajib, newly elected president of Karnaphuli Garden City Apartment Owners Cooperative Society Limited, reportedly went to the department to submit documents relating to his committee when he was allegedly attacked.
Sajib subsequently filed a case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, naming Nabirul Islam as the principal accused. Several other individuals, along with unidentified persons, were also named as accused. The case is reportedly under investigation.
However, there appears to be a discrepancy concerning the date of the case. While the alleged assault is stated to have occurred on August 19, 2026, the date of filing the case is mentioned elsewhere as August 24, 2023. The discrepancy should be verified against the original First Information Report (FIR) and relevant police records before publication.
Concerned individuals have also alleged that Nabirul Islam used political connections to secure transfers, promotions and other official benefits. They have questioned how he continues to hold an important position despite allegations, investigation reports and show-cause notices against him.
Attempts were made several times to obtain Nabirul Islam’s comments on the allegations. Written questions were also sent to him. However, he did not respond. Therefore, his position regarding the allegations could not be included in this report.
Those familiar with the matter have called for an impartial investigation into all allegations against him and for legal action wherever wrongdoing is established. They have also stressed that allegations that remain unproven or under investigation should be dealt with through due process, with all relevant documents and statements from the concerned parties properly examined.