Postal vehicles used for parcel business, E-commerce transporting instead of mango
Eleven out of the 12 mail vans provided to the Department of Posts for transporting seasonal fruits have instead been handed over to the private logistics company Distributions, where they are being used to deliver parcels for e-commerce platforms, including Daraz, rather than mangoes or other seasonal produce.
The vehicles were supplied by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to strengthen Bangladesh's postal logistics network during the seasonal fruit harvest.
According to an office order issued on May 21 by the Department of Posts' Distribution and Mail (D&M) Branch, 12 mail vans were allocated to the Deputy Postmaster General (DPMG) offices in Rajshahi, Khulna and Dhaka South.
The fleet consists of 1.5-ton, 3-ton and 5-ton trucks, and the allocation order was signed by Hossain Syed Gawhar, Acting Director (Planning).
Under the allocation plan, Rajshahi Division was to receive seven vehicles—four 5-ton trucks and three 3-ton trucks—while Khulna Division was allotted four vehicles, comprising two 5-ton and two 3-ton trucks.
However, except for Dhaka South, neither Rajshahi nor Khulna officially accepted delivery of the vehicles. Despite this, the trucks have been operating regularly under the control of Distributions, using the company's own drivers and staff.
Mail Vans Seen Operating Under Distributions
At around 5:45 p.m. on June 20, an Asia Post reporter observed a 3-ton mail van leaving the Department of Posts' Mail Processing Centre (MPC) in Tejgaon, Dhaka. The vehicle, bearing registration Dhaka Metro-A-11-6404, was driven by a Distributions employee.
According to the official allocation order, the truck was supposed to be under the supervision of the Deputy Postmaster General of Khulna Division.
Several eyewitnesses told Asia Post that at least three additional mail vans were driven out of the MPC the same day by Distributions personnel.
The following day, June 21, another 3-ton mail van (registration Dhaka Metro-A-11-6408) departed the MPC. The truck displayed the Department of Posts and UPU logos on a red background, along with the words "State Postal Service" prominently printed on its exterior.
Asia Post followed the vehicle until it arrived at a Daraz warehouse in Tejgaon.
Ironically, according to the allocation order, the truck should have been under the supervision of the Rajshahi Division Deputy Postmaster General.
The vehicle was driven by Arifur Rahman, a Distributions employee, while another Distributions staff member, Sourav Kumar Sarkar, was seated beside him. Both were carrying identity cards displaying the Department of Posts' logo.
Sourav told Asia Post that the vehicle was operating under the Department of Posts' e-courier service.
"The vehicle has been provided to us through the state postal transport system. It collects products from e-commerce companies like Daraz. Separate vehicles travel to Rajshahi at night," he said.
Neither employee was able to produce a gate pass authorizing the vehicle's departure from the MPC. Reporters also found no vehicle logbook at the Tejgaon facility.
Contradictory Statements from Postal Officials
Khulna Deputy Postmaster General Mirajul Haque told Asia Post that he had never accepted any of the four vehicles allocated to his office.
"I never received the vehicles. Since they are not under my control, I have no idea where they are being used," he said.
Rajshahi Deputy Postmaster General Rakib Biswas initially offered a different explanation.
He said Distributions had been engaged as an agent to transport seasonal fruits.
"Whenever I need the vehicles, I take them from Distributions. Since they pay fees to the postal department for operating them, they use the vehicles," he said.
When asked whether he had officially received the allocated trucks, Rakib replied that not all had been delivered.
Asked how many had been received, he described it as "a very complicated question" before abruptly ending the phone call, claiming that "Sir is calling."
When Asia Post visited the Rajshahi DPMG office on June 23, multiple officials stated that none of the seven vehicles listed in the May 21 order had been delivered.
Later, Rakib claimed that four vehicles had been received—one under his supervision, one at the General Post Office, and two returned to headquarters.
However, Asia Post's investigation found that none of the seven originally allocated vehicles were actually present at the Rajshahi office.
Rakib later admitted that Distributions had been allowed to use the vehicles for some time.
Allegations of Document Manipulation
Asia Post's investigation suggests that official paperwork was deliberately prepared to facilitate the transfer of the vehicles to Distributions.
On paper, the trucks were shown as being handed over to regional postal units, although they reportedly never reached those offices and instead went directly to the private company.
Hossain Syed Gawhar, who signed the allocation order, said he had only approved the distribution plan.
"The units never officially accepted the vehicles. From what I've heard, Harunur Rashid, Zakir Hasan Noor and Khan Hasan Mohammad Iqbal Masud informally handed them over to Distributions. That is unethical," he said.
The allegations are directed at three Additional Directors General of the Department of Posts:
• SM Harunur Rashid (Finance and Establishment)
• Zakir Hasan Noor (Postal Services)
• Khan Hasan Mohammad Iqbal Masud
Zakir Hasan Noor has also been accused of pressuring postal officials in Rajshahi and Khulna to prepare backdated documents showing that the vehicles had been officially received.
Harunur Rashid and Iqbal Masud denied the allegations, while repeated attempts by Asia Post to obtain comments from Zakir Hasan Noor were unsuccessful.
No Agreement with the Private Company
Neither Distributions nor its parent company ClickX has any formal agreement with the Department of Posts authorizing the use of government vehicles.
Government financial regulations require approval from the Finance Division before any ministry can engage in revenue-generating activities. Nevertheless, Distributions has reportedly been paying the postal department to use the trucks.
Director General of the Department of Posts Kazi Asadul Islam acknowledged that no such approval or agreement exists.
"Without Finance Division approval, we cannot collect revenue. We also have no formal agreement with Distributions. The company has been operating the vehicles on a trial basis for transporting bulk mail under the Letter Writer scheme," he said.
However, an examination of the Letter Writer regulations shows that the arrangement applies only to individuals and does not permit businesses to use postal assets such as government vehicles.
The Director General himself admitted that Letter Writers are not allowed to use postal vehicles.
Conflicting Explanations Over Vehicle Use
Although the official order specified that the trucks were intended solely for transporting seasonal fruits, Distributions employees confirmed that they are being used to collect parcels from Daraz and other e-commerce companies.
A Daraz source also confirmed to Asia Post that neither Distributions nor the Department of Posts is authorized by the company to transport seasonal fruits on its behalf.
Rafael Kabir, an investor and partner in ClickX, said the vehicles had originally been provided during mango season because the postal department lacked the operational capacity to manage collection and logistics.
He added that the vehicles would be returned and indicated that the postal department had already requested their return after learning about Asia Post's investigation.
Several postal officials rejected the claim that the department lacked operational capacity, saying fruit and parcel transportation are part of its core responsidistributionsties.
They argued that if outsourcing had been necessary, a competitive public tender should have been conducted rather than informally handing over government vehicles to a private company.
Regarding the Department of Posts logo appearing on Distributions
employees' identity cards, Rafael Kabir said the branding had been introduced by previous partners and would be removed from next month.
Department of Posts Responds
Director General Kazi Asadul Islam said a committee had recommended how the vehicles should be distributed among postal units and that he approved the proposal accordingly.
He said only one vehicle had officially been accepted by a regional office, while the remaining 11 were kept at the General Post Office campus in Dhaka.
According to him, some of those vehicles were occasionally used on a trial basis to transport bulk mail through Distributions, although none had been used for transporting seasonal fruits because production had fallen below expectations.
He acknowledged that Distributions's use of the Department of Posts logo on employee identity cards was inappropriate.
"The matter has come to our attention. There is no scope for such use, and it is unethical. We have verbally instructed Distributions to stop using the logo. A written explanation will also be sought, and legal action may be taken if necessary."
Asked who would be responsible if the vehicles were damaged while being operated by Distributions, the Director General admitted that the Department of Posts could not avoid liadistributionsty.
"If such an incident occurs, we cannot deny responsidistributionsty. Had we known earlier how the vehicles were being used, action would have been taken immediately. It is not possible for me to know everything on my own."
Governance Expert Calls for Investigation
Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of the civic watchdog Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance), described the allegations as an example of serious fraud.
"A thorough investigation is needed to identify everyone responsible for this blatant misconduct and ensure exemplary punishment.
There is no alternative. Our institutions have been weakened by corruption and irregularities. These practices have spread throughout the system. Unless decisive action is taken, the situation will only deteriorate further," he said.