Photo : Collected
Rashida Sultana – currently serving as Deputy Director (Training and Certification) at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) – has stirred controversy due to her unchecked and unruly behaviours.
Earlier, she was the chief security officer at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Several allegations were made against her during her time as chief security officer, including frequent changes in drivers, 10 drivers were rotated within two months, and imposing bans on afternoon meal breaks for internal staff.
Sources said Rashida Sultana was absent during VIP movements and engaged in confrontations with senior officials, airport directors, and military personnel over parking issues.
Her actions sparked considerable discontent among employees, who formally lodged written complaints with ministry.
Over the span of eight years from 2016 to 2024, Rashida Sultana’s stances has allegedly not changed, resulting in numerous serious allegations ranging from emotional abuse to verbal misconduct.
According to sources within CAAB, the investigation against Rashida Sultana is now in its final stages, but the scrutiny is far from over.
The allegations against her are being considered, especially those related to emotional harm through religious sentiments.
CAAB’s past investigative committee report revealed that Rashida frequently misused official vehicles for personal purposes and illegally occupied two houses in capital’s Kaola area.
She has also verbally abused and threatened senior officers physically. Despite the seriousness of these accusations, no significant changes have been made against her.
Allegations of misconduct include intercepting files and accepting bribes, often in the form of mangoes, litchis, and rice, as reported during the CAAB investigation.
In June of last year, CAAB’s inquiry committee uncovered evidence of various irregularities and corruption involving Rashida Sultana, recommending her transfer. Despite this recommendation, she has not been transferred, amidst allegations involving a senior CAAB official. This situation has emboldened Rashida’s behavior, sources said.
Recently, five new serious allegations have emerged against Rashida, prompting CAAB to form a three-member committee to investigate these claims on June 12.
Air Commodore AKM Ziaul Haque, a CAAB member and convenor of the inquiry committee, emphasised the sensitivity of the matter and declined to comment further on ongoing investigations.
A previous CAAB inquiry report revealed that Rashida misused official vehicles and illegally occupied two CAAB-owned houses in the Kaola area of the capital, defying CAAB directives.
Rashida also reportedly verbally abused Suplab Kumar Ghosh, who was then the manager and assistant director (ATM) at Saidpur Airport.
CAAB filed a new written complaint against Rashida last January, investigating her on five charges, including these allegations.
Furthermore, an intelligence agency filed a report alleging Rashida’s failure to submit annual confidential reports for three years without explanation, along with accusations of unethical behaviour and granting illegal benefits to a foreign airline.
When confronted with these accusations, Rashida dismissed them as outdated and redirected inquiries to the chairman of CAAB.
According to CAAB’s investigation report from last year, Rashida has been frequently absent from work without applying for leave and has been late on days she did attend.
Despite receiving verbal and written notices regarding her attendance, she failed to respond. She occasionally informed senior officials via mobile messages of her health issues, including high blood pressure.
The investigation report further highlights instances where Rashida exhibited arrogance towards her superiors and misconduct towards officials of other state agencies while performing VVIP security duties at the airport.
Allegations also suggest that she threatened colleagues with false accusations of involvement in opposition politics if they did not comply with her demands.
The report also said that Rashida lacks the necessary professional skills expected of a senior officer and for failing to fulfill important responsibilities adequately.
Rashida is also accused of collaborating with gold smugglers, intercepting security pass files in exchange for bribes, and using her position to obtain a business class plane ticket to Malaysia from a contractor supplying scanning machines at the airport.
Messenger/Fameema
