Uttam Kumar, owner of 50 crore taka from zero!

Between 2019 and 2024, Uttam Kumar Deb, joint secretary of Panchhari Upazila Awami League in Khagrachari, has become the owner of at least 50 crore taka. It is known that he earned this huge amount of money by sharing the work of building houses for the Mujib Barsho Ashrayan project. Uttam got the work of this project with the help of former State Minister for Hilly Affairs, Kujendra Lal Tripura. However, cracks appeared in these houses within a few days due to poor quality construction work.

In addition, he has been accused of being involved in various illegal activities including stealing iron rods by breaking government bridges, illegal sand extraction, controlling government tenders, extortion, and engaging in various illegal activities including recruitment and trade of the chairman of the Guchchagram project.

Uttam Kumar Deb, who is the younger brother of Panchhari Upazila Awami League General Secretary Bijoy Kumar Deb, has illegally acquired huge wealth by using his brother's influence. He formed the 'Uttam Bahini' in Panchhari and established a reign of terror in the area. Uttam, who was expelled from the area and took refuge in Chittagong, returned to Panchhari in 2018 after participating in his elder brother Vijay's election campaign and started his misdeeds.

In 2023, a case was filed against Uttam on charges of stealing iron rods from three government bridges. Despite being jailed for 15 days in this incident, his misdeeds did not stop. His economy has been further strengthened through LGED tender control, illegal construction work and extortion.

Uttam is widely accused of illegally acquiring huge wealth, violence and irregularities in various government projects. Currently, he is absconding outside the country, in Agartala in Tripura state, where his wealth could be at least Tk 5 to 6 crore, according to sources.