Four months after the ouster of its then-head amidst allegations of corruption and other irregularities, normalcy is yet to return at Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM), the country’s lone reference institute for chemical measurements.
Scientists and officials working at BRiCM told Dhaka Tribune that the authorities have taken no actions against Dr Mala Khan, the immediate past Director General who stands accused of misappropriating funds and other gross allegations of moral turpitude.
In the post-July Revolution Bangladesh, Dr Mala Khan was forced to resign from the administrative head in mid-August but continues to work as a chief scientific officer, much to the displeasure of general staff members of the Institute located inside Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Enraged at the authorities’ indifference to taking any actions against the ex-DG, the BRiCM scientists continued to organize protests and wrote to the ministry in October seeking justice.
They said they were living in an environment of intimidation with Dr Mala Khan threatening them of reprisals.
Dr Mala Khan, however, brushed aside the allegations brought against her and said she would cooperate in any probe process that might have ensued based on graft accusations.
BRiCM scientists alleged that Mala Khan misappropriated funds by inflating budgets in procurements and by resorting to gross irregularities in the manpower outsourcing process.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune on Sunday, the ministry’s senior secretary Md Mokabbir Hossain said the Ministry of Science and Technology was conducting a probe into the allegations brought against Dr Mala Khan and the authorities would step measures based on the probe findings.
BRiCM Director General Dr AKM Azadur Rahman told this correspondent yesterday that a ministry investigation led by an additional secretary was underway.
“The issue is also on the agenda for our forthcoming governing body meeting,” he added.
The ministry’s senior secretary is scheduled to chair the meeting later this week.
BRiCM provides reference measurement service, proficiency testing and inter-laboratory comparison service, develops, validate and transfer methods for chemical measurements, disseminates instrumentation and calibration services, collect, produce, store and disseminate or sale reference materials, establishes organic and inorganic ‘specimen bank’, conducts study on chemical toxicity and risk assessment and act as technical support organization for regulatory bodies.