Raihanul Abedin
Muhammad Raihanul Abedin | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 1, 1952 East Pakistan |
| Occupation(s) | Retired Bangladesh Army officer, energy specialist, managing director of Dhaka WASA |
| Known for | Production Sharing Agreement director at Petrobangla; managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority; energy production contracts with Unocal, Niko Resources, Tullow Oil |
Major Muhammad Raihanul Abedin (; born 1 July 1952) is a retired officer of the Bangladesh Army and a specialist in energy, power, and utilities engineering. He held the position of Production Sharing Agreement (PSC) director at Petrobangla, where he managed energy production contracts with international firms such as Enron Corporation, Niko Resources, and Tullow Oil.
In 2004, Abedin played a pivotal role in securing a $230 million agreement with Unocal Corporation (currently Chevron Corporation), which received endorsement from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Additionally, he was a key member of the national committee representing Bangladesh in the International Clean Cities initiative under the United States Department of Energy. In 2001, he introduced a nationwide strategy aimed at decreasing liquid fuel consumption by encouraging the adoption of natural gas-powered vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. This program was backed financially by the Asian Development Bank, resulting in over 80% of vehicles in Bangladesh operating on cleaner natural gas, thereby significantly mitigating pollution levels.
Between 2007 and 2009, Abedin led the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) as managing director during the military-supported caretaker administration. Under his leadership, WASA expanded its service coverage from six to eleven zones. After the 2009 general elections, officials from the prior government faced legal action by the incoming administration, leading to Abedin’s resignation amid accusations of nepotism. Subsequent inquiries indicated that these allegations were likely used as justification for his dismissal.
During his tenure as a senior executive at Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), Abedin was implicated in two corruption lawsuits filed in 2008 involving claims of BDT 15.3 million. These accusations were ultimately dismissed due to RPGCL’s total assets being valued under BDT 10 million at that period.
Personal background
Abedin was born in East Pakistan into a family of dewans from Comilla, historically known for serving as chief ministers to the Kings of Tripura. He completed his mechanical engineering degree in 1970 at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (then East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology) as an Army Scholar. During his academic tenure, he served as President of the Awami League Chatro League and led the Choi Dofa Andalon at BUET. He is married to Shamsun Nahar from the Munshibari family of Comilla, who is sister to writers Kamrun Nahar and Saleh Uddin. Together, they have two daughters—Shehnaz Raihan Abedin (Jenny) and Nowrin Raihan Abedin—and a son named Mohammad Rafatul Abedin (Rafat).
Military background
Abedin was commissioned into what was then the East Pakistan Army in March 1973, later becoming part of the Bangladesh Army. During his service, he worked alongside Sheikh Kamal, son of former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He retired with the rank of Major in February 1984 to transition into a career within the private sector.
Occidental Petroleum and Unocal (Chevron)
In 2004, Abedin personally facilitated a $230 million (£123.9m) contract with Unocal Corporation (now Chevron Corporation) on behalf of Bangladesh, receiving approval from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. This deal pertained to the Bibiyana gas field situated approximately 180 miles northeast of Dhaka, which Unocal discovered in 1998 with estimated reserves of 2.4 trillion cubic feet. Concerning the 1997 Magurchhara gas field blowout caused by Occidental Petroleum (later Chevron), which triggered a $6.12 billion lawsuit but resulted in minimal compensation paid, Abedin attributed accountability to governmental authorities. He also encountered resistance from Tullow Oil regarding Chevron Texaco’s sale of interests to Niko Resources and the Government of Bangladesh.
Niko Resources
From 2003 to 2006, Niko Resources became embroiled in a corruption controversy related to the $750 million Tengratila and Feni gas fields in Bangladesh. The company was responsible for an explosion and initially declined to cover the resulting damages. It also gifted a luxury vehicle to the supervising Minister. Eventually, Niko compensated 620 families affected by the incident. In January 2009, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police initiated an investigation into allegations of corruption. Despite careful planning, equipment malfunctions and blowouts frequently occur beyond human control.
Niko halted gas deliveries from the Feni gas field seemingly to exert pressure on the Bangladesh government. Petrobangla, led by Abedin, issued warnings of potential legal proceedings. Abedin formally submitted a compensation claim that had received approval from Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and the Energy Advisor. This claim mandated that Niko provide three billion cubic feet (BCF) of free gas to compensate for losses at Tengratila and an additional 5.89 BCF burnt underground. Moreover, Tk 840 million was sought for environmental damage after Niko had paid Tk 25 million to local residents. Subsequently, Abedin convened with Niko's President and CEO as well as the Energy Secretary to address unresolved matters.
Rexwood-Oakland
Petrobangla reportedly engaged in non-competitive negotiations with the US-based Oakland-Rexwood joint venture, which proposed a $60 million investment. During 1998 and 1999, Enron Corporation was selected alongside Oakland for certain exploration blocks, with Enron aiming for an 80% stake. However, in December 2001, the Bangladesh High Court prohibited signing any Production sharing agreement with foreign oil firms, coinciding with Enron’s bankruptcy amid its scandal. Abedin, responsible for production sharing agreements, denied that specific offers had been made, characterizing visits as exploratory in nature. Eventually, Tullow Oil took over operations of the Oakland-Rexwood blocks.
Water Board Authority and Development
Following his tenure at Petrobangla, Abedin assumed the role of managing director at the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) during the military-backed Caretaker government of Bangladesh. Charged with tackling elevated ammonia levels and other impurities in water, he launched a pre-treatment plant project financed by the Asian Development Bank and overseen by Denmark’s development agency. He also championed a sewage treatment facility funded by the World Bank aimed at enhancing water quality.
Confronting a daily water shortfall of at least 350 million liters against Dhaka’s demand of 2 billion liters, WASA faced challenges due to power grid limitations restricting pumping capabilities. Abedin uncovered that although Dhaka’s population exceeded six million, WASA served only about 150,000 customers, resulting in persistent revenue deficits. He coordinated teams to assess household water connections, which increased revenue by nearly 300%, enabling WASA to achieve profitability for the first time. To alleviate supply constraints, Abedin secured World Bank financing and government authorization for constructing a new water treatment plant, overcoming skepticism from industry experts. Construction commenced after three years of preparation.
Concerns about chemical pollutants exceeding World Health Organization limits emerged due to unregulated industrial discharges. In 2008, WASA introduced online billing systems despite mixed public reception linked to limited internet penetration. That year and again in 2009, water tariffs rose by 5% and then 20%, driven by increased expenses from frequent power outages necessitating generator use.
By mid-2009, worsening water shortages compelled WASA to distribute water via tanker trucks to critical locations. Abedin cautioned that excessive extraction from underground sources through roughly 1,000 illegal deep tube wells was causing groundwater levels to decline approximately three meters annually. Additionally, filling in low-lying areas and waterways aggravated this depletion risked future shortages and land subsidence. Unauthorized construction on reclaimed ponds contributed significantly to severe urban flooding problems. Furthermore, Abedin highlighted over 100,000 illegal water connections causing annual losses estimated at around Tk 350 million within the supply network.
Oliver Twist – SWAT Operation Controversy
On 29 July, Abedin reported a burglary at his residence in Gulshan to the local police, where items including a laptop, three digital cameras, and a pair of mobile phones were taken. Given his high profile, the case was assigned to the elite SWAT team, which exposed a group of youthful burglars who were homeless street children. The media drew parallels between this incident and Charles Dickens' famous novel Oliver Twist.
Departure from Office
Abedin stepped down from his role on 8 April 2009; in the interim, a Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Local Government Rural Development (LGRD) assumed responsibilities until a permanent replacement was named by the incoming government.
The new administration accused Abedin of unlawfully occupying a state-owned palatial residence, engaging in corrupt practices, favoring relatives in appointments and promotions, misusing official vehicles, and assigning staff to personal duties. Allegations included recruiting 331 personnel through bribery, predominantly hailing from his native district of Comilla. Significantly, several prominent WASA roles—such as two deputy managing directors, two additional chief engineers, and multiple superintending engineers—were filled by individuals from Comilla. Nevertheless, these recruitment decisions were later clarified as outcomes determined by the WASA board.
Criticism was also directed at Abedin for living in the "WASA chairman House" located in Gulshan. He clarified that this residence was designated for the CEO of Dhaka WASA (the managing director), explaining that the title transitioned from chairman to managing director following requests by the World Bank and other international organizations. He stressed that the chairman's position is separate from that of the CEO.
Referring to the WASA Act of 1996, Abedin maintained his right to occupy the palatial residence and underscored his efforts during the caretaker government period to recover a six bigha WASA property in Gulshan that had been illegally leased out. He asserted, "A government residential house cannot be rented out."
Following his resignation, all accusations against him subsided. Abedin concluded that "certain groups influenced some media outlets to circulate unfounded reports about me with ill intent."