Ershad urges PM to reinstate Abul Hossain

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has asked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to reinstate Syed Abul Hossain as a minister and take action against the media outlets who published “motivated news.” “As Syed Abul Hossain lost his post following a false allegation, I hope the prime minister will now consider reinstating him to restore his dignity and political image,” Ershad, also a special envoy to the premier, said in a statement Wednesday. “The then communications secretary [Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan] has already been reinstated,” he added. Abul Hossain had to step down in 2012 after the World Bank alleged “conspiracy of corruption” in the tender process for selecting a consultant for the Padma Bridge project. He was, however, declared innocent after an enquiry by the Anti-Corruption Commission. A Canadian court recently binned the case filed against SNC-Lavalin, the firm short-listed for the consultancy project. Ershad said: “It is now proved that Bangladesh became the victim of an international and local conspiracy. The vested interests intentionally made the Padma Bridge project, Syed Abul Hossain and other government officials controversial.” The World Bank claimed in a statement on June 29, 2012 that it had credible evidence that a high-level corruption conspiracy was on among Bangladeshi government officials, SNC-Lavalin executives, and private individuals in the mega project. On December 17 the same year, the ACC filed a case of “conspiracy for corruption” in the project against seven people including former secretary Mosharraf. The ACC kept the name of Abul Hossain as suspect. Mosharraf is now serving as a senior secretary to the Industries Ministry. The main construction of the bridge began in December last year with the government's own funds.