Kuwait cancels airport cleaning contract with MP Papul

Kuwait's Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) has cancelled the extension of the contract for cleaning services at Kuwait International Airport and its facilities with the company of Laxmipur lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam alias Papul, Kuwaiti media reported.

According to English daily Arab Times, CAPT said the cancellation of the contract extension was due to the suspension of the company’s file in the public authority for manpower because of criminal investigations against an owner. Papul is not mentioned by name.

Papul has a number of cleaning contracts with Kuwait government agencies, including one with a government agency that oversees dozens of places in the Kuwait city and Hawally governorates. As his company’s accounts have been seized by the public prosecution in Kuwait and cannot be liquidated, many cleaning workers are being deprived of their salaries, reports Al Qabas as quoted by Arab Times.

According to reports by Kuwait media this February, intelligence agencies arrested more than 100 people of different nationalities for their alleged involvement in human trafficking and money laundering.

The Daily Al-Qabas reported that one of the arrested suspects was a member of a three-man racket whose other members include a Bangladeshi MP, whose wife is also an MP from the seats reserved for women. The description of the MP matches that of Papul.

It added that the trio occupied sensitive positions in three major companies that brought over 20,000 Bangladeshi workers into the country in exchange for large sums of money believed to be in excess of 50 million dinars.

Papul, an independent member of parliament elected from Lakshmipur 2 constituency, was arrested by Kuwait authorities on June 7 in Kuwait City on charges of human trafficking and money laundering.

In February, Papul claimed that all the allegations against him were false and baseless.

"I have been doing business in Kuwait for the last 30 years, mostly in the supply of heavy equipment. Staff from 29 countries are employed at my companies in Kuwait," he said.

"I do not have a recruiting agency in my name in Bangladesh," he said, claiming that some people who were jealous of his success as a lawmaker were spreading misinformation and lies.

"I did return to Bangladesh on February 8, but not for any problem there [Kuwait]," Papul added.