False allegations leveled against CAAB’s S. M. Lablur Rahman for upholding transparency

Published : Tuesday, 23 September, 2025 at 1:19 PM Count : 221

The recent wave of smear campaigns and fabricated allegations against S. M. Lablur Rahman, Member (Admin) and Additional Secretary of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), has sparked deep concern. Many within and outside the Authority believe that a powerful vested quarter is orchestrating these attacks, targeting his uncompromising stand in establishing good governance and transparency.

A career civil servant from the 15th BCS batch, Mr. Rahman had long been deprived of due promotions during the previous authoritarian regime, despite his merit, integrity, and dedication. His professional growth was deliberately obstructed on political grounds, and his honesty and principles made him the subject of repeated neglect. Overcoming these challenges, he finally received his long-awaited promotion on 25 August 2024 under the present government, marking a turning point in his career.

During his tenure at the Bridges Division, S. M. Lablur Rahman set a remarkable example through his competence, integrity, and firm administrative leadership. He never yielded to any form of pressure or external influence. Despite repeated pressures from former Minister Obaidul Quader and the then Secretary of the Bridges Division, Khandker Anwarul Islam, he consistently placed national interests above all else and refused to comply with any undue demands driven by personal or vested interests.

Through his decisive actions, he effectively curtailed the unjust advantages often sought by contractors, saving the government nearly one thousand crore taka. However, his uncompromising and principled stance struck at the interests of certain influential quarters. Consequently, he was transferred from the Bridges Division to the Department of Social Services. Later, while serving as Member (Finance) at CAAB, his vigilance against corruption directly challenged entrenched syndicates. By strictly scrutinizing every file, he blocked inflated bills and ensured state funds were used responsibly—causing further backlash from corrupt quarters.

Since assuming his current role as Member (Administration), Mr. Rahman has pursued a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He has categorically rejected bribes, illicit favors, and the culture of file-trading, accelerating work processes through lawful and transparent means. This has severely undermined the interests of syndicates accustomed to exploiting loopholes in civil aviation.

In retaliation, false and anonymous complaints have been lodged against him in different offices. These allegations are baseless, inconsistent, and evidently aimed at tarnishing his reputation. Some groups have even spread deliberate misinformation, claiming he performed duties in the 2018 and 2024 national elections—a claim that has been investigated and proven entirely false.

Multiple CAAB officials, preferring anonymity, confirmed that since Mr. Rahman assumed charge of administration, efficiency, speed, and transparency have significantly improved. The long-standing stagnation in administrative processes has been removed, files are being disposed of in a timely and systematic manner, and an environment of trust and positivity has returned to the workplace.

The baseless propaganda against S. M. Lablur Rahman is widely seen as a desperate attempt by vested quarters to derail the government’s ongoing efforts to transform Bangladesh into a modern aviation hub of global standards. His integrity, firmness, and reformist approach stand as a threat to corrupt interests—hence the attempts to vilify him through a smear campaign.

FP/MI