JS panel summons Sircar, Akhtar and Delwar

A parliamentary panel on Thursday summoned the speaker, deputy speaker and chief whip of the eighth parliament early next month to defend themselves against charges of corruption being investigated by the panel.
‘We have decided to invite former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain to make their statements before the committee on June 10,’ Fazle Rabbi Mia, the head of the parliamentary investigation committee, told reporters after its meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
The 11-member committee, formed on March 19 by the House, was assigned to investigate alleged corruption by the former speaker, and other alleged irregularities in the parliament secretariat during the seven-year term of Jamiruddin Sircar.
The committee was asked to report back to the House with recommendations.
The panel formed three sub-committees to look into the various allegations against the former speaker.
Two of the sub-committees have already submitted their reports, suggesting five measures against Jamiruddin Sircar, Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and Khandaker Delwar Hossain. They also suggested that the parliamentary membership of the former speaker should be scrapped and legal action taken against him, Akhtar and Delwar.
At Thursday’s meeting the committee questioned a number of officials of the parliament secretariat as witnesses of the alleged corruption, and decided also to listen to the accused.
‘The committee’s report will not be complete without listening to the accused. We hope they will turn up to help the investigation committee to prepare a final report,’ said the chairman of the committee.
Jamiruddin Sircar, at a press conference, said that he would only go to the committee as a witness, not as an accused.
‘Let me get the letter, and then I will make my decision,’ said the former speaker, dismissing the allegations of graft against him.
The allegations against him were baseless and part of a plot against him and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, claimed Jamiruddin.
The committee’s chairman said that the members assigned to investigate the alleged corruption have almost completed their work. Much evidence has been collected and the committee will prepare its report after hearing the accused defend themselves.
When asked what would happen if the accused refused to appear before the investigation committee, Fazle Rabbi said that they would have no other option but to submit the report without their statements.
The report will be submitted to the House during the budget session.
Three parliamentary sub-committees investigated allegations of irregularities, abuse of power and wastage of public money during the seven-year term of Jamiruddin Sircar.
Awami League lawmaker SK Baker was one of those who investigated the irregularities and ‘unlawful’ expenses incurred for medical treatment of the former speaker, who also approved medical treatment of the deputy speaker and the chief whip at the state’s expense.
Sircar spent over Tk 27,00,000 for medical expenses without the government’s approval, according to a report of one of the sub-committees.
Mujibul Haq Chunnu looked into alleged irregularities in recruitment of the parliament secretariat’s employees. It has been alleged that Sircar appointed 341 people to various positions in clear violation of the rules.
The third sub-committee, headed by Shahjahan Khan, is investigating the purchase deals and government money spent for maintenance of trees in the parliament’s premises. He is yet to submit his report.
On March 19 the parliament assigned an ‘all-party’ committee to investigate the alleged corruption by Sircar. But members of the opposition BNP decided not to join it, saying that the government intended to carry out a biased investigation against the former speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad.

Courtesy of NewAgebd