Rooppur Pillow Scandal Reveals Massive Corruption Losses

New details have emerged regarding the controversial “pillow scandal” linked to the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Bangladesh. According to sources from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), some pillows for the project were purchased at prices as high as Tk 89,900 each, while the lowest-priced pillows cost Tk 6,957.

The audit investigation found that a total of 4,702 pillows were purchased for the project. Among them, 60 pillows were bought at Tk 89,900 each, 72 pillows at Tk 29,847 each, 660 pillows at Tk 20,000 each, and 120 pillows at slightly above Tk 10,000 each.

The CAG report stated that widespread irregularities in the construction of 20 residential buildings under the Rooppur project led to the embezzlement of nearly Tk 295 crore. Of this amount, pillows alone caused a financial loss of about Tk 3.92 crore. While the actual market value of the 4,702 pillows was estimated at Tk 1.48 crore, they were purchased for nearly Tk 5.41 crore.

The report recommended administrative action against those involved and urged authorities to recover the excess money spent through corruption.

The issue first gained national attention in 2019, when media reports revealed unusually high prices for pillows used in the “Green City” residential project for Rooppur officials and staff. The incident quickly became known nationwide as the “Pillow Scandal.”

However, the latest CAG findings suggest the corruption was even more extensive than previously reported. Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly said the Prime Minister reacted with disbelief after hearing the prices and reportedly remarked that one of the expensive pillows should be preserved in a museum.

The investigation also found that project officials had initially proposed Tk 9,307 per pillow, including transportation and delivery costs to different floors, despite the actual market price being only Tk 3,154. This meant an extra Tk 6,153 was added per pillow even before further inflated purchases occurred.

According to the report, the inflated procurement was carried out through collusion to benefit contractors. Two companies — Sajin Construction Limited and Majid Sons Construction Limited — allegedly earned nearly Tk 4 crore through overpriced purchases of pillows and other furniture items.

Commenting on the findings, Iftekharuzzaman said the scandal reflected massive corruption and called for exemplary punishment for all individuals involved, including contractors and officials. He also stressed the importance of recovering the embezzled funds, not just imposing fines or prison sentences.