Padma Graft
ACC to quiz Abul
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will quiz former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain on September 3 on the alleged corruption and irregularities regarding appointment of a consultant for the Padma bridge project.
The ACC issued a notice on Sunday asking him to appear before its two-member investigation team at 10:00am on that day to reply to the allegations, an official of the commission told this correspondent yesterday.
Canadian company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc was shortlisted for the job of consultant for the project allegedly in a corrupt way.
Earlier, the ACC had quizzed a number of government officials and experts on the issue. Abul Hossain is the most high-profile figure and probably the last one to be quizzed.
Abul was removed from the communications ministry and was made information and communications technology (ICT) minister on December 5 last year. This followed the World Bank’s corruption allegation against him, and suspension of its $ 1.2 billion loan for the $ 2.9 billion Padma bridge project.
On July 23, Abul resigned as ICT minister amid pressure from within and outside the government. His resignation was accepted on August 23.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
