The Liberation War Affairs Ministry’s filing of a case against the contractors, on charge of supplying sub-standard gold crests for foreign friends, would stand in the way of its parliamentary watchdog’s inquiry into the scam.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee, which on April 24 formed a three-member sub-committee to look into the matter that apparently tarnished the country’s image, met yesterday to discuss the issue. The committee members expressed frustration over filing of the case in the halfway of the investigation.
The Rules of Procedure of parliament does not allow the parliamentary watchdogs to inquire into an issue that awaits disposal in the judiciary.
“We have formally and informally contacted the supplier to turn up at the committee meeting to face questions, but they have rebuffed,” Iqbalur Rahim, one of the members of the sub-committee, told the Dhaka Tribune after the meeting.
“As the government has filed a case, let it be settled at the court. We do not need to go to the [parliamentary] committee,” Iqbal quoted the firm chief as saying. The Awami League MP said: “According to the papers we have seen, the chance of convicting the company is very slim.”
Yesterday’s meeting also stretched the deadline of the sub-committee, headed by former minister Afsarul Amin, by one and a half more months to submit its findings.
The ministry filed the case on June 10 against the suppliers in line with its report that blamed former state minister Capt (retd) AB Tajul Islam, now chairman of the 10-member Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The report also detected involvement of former secretary Mizanur Rahman, incumbent Secretary KH Masud Siddiqui and 13 officials in the scam.
Tajul presided over yesterday’s meeting which was also attended by Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, and members Afsarul Amin, Nurun Nabi Chowdhury, Golam Dastagir Gazi, Asheque Ahmed Rafiq, Swapon Bhattachariya and Kamrul Laila Jolly.
The government filed the fraud case against Meer Daud Ahmed, the proprietor of the firm Amecon; and Mohsinul Hasan, owner of M/S Mohsinul Hasan.
The Awami League government in its previous term decided to honour the foreign nationals who had contributed to Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971. The government gave each of the foreign friends a gold-plated crest, which should have at least one bhori of gold and 30 bhori of silver. The BSTI examined the crests and found in it at best 25% gold and 351 grams of iron alloy, instead of silver.