Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has formed a three-member committee headed by Additional Secretary Moazzem Hossain to investigate the alleged corruption against the Director General of Islamic Foundation.
The committee has been asked to submit its report to the ministry within 15 days.
There are allegations against DG Shamim Mohammad Afzal that in last ten years he appointed around 2,800 persons, including 51 of his close relatives, in various posts of the foundation.
There are also accusation against him that the DG had implemented all his autocratic decisions by abusing official power. He even appointed his sister-in-law, nephews, nephew’s wife and other close relatives in important positions. Those posts are now under revenue.
However, from now on promotion, transfer and sacking of first class and second employees will need consent of the Board of Directors of the foundation. Dealings of FDR and various other bank accounts of the orqanisation will be conducted jointly by the director general and the Secretary.
There are also allegations against the DG that he misappropriated several crores of taka in the name of giving writers’ remuneration, and during purchase, transfer and promotion.
Though there was no book by his own name before joining the foundation in 2009, the number of DG’s book now stands more than 25. He allegedly took a big amount of money in the name of royalty, alleged the insiders.
Meanwhile, employees of the foundation have staged demonstration at its Agargaon head office in the city demanding the DG’s resignation. They brought various allegations against him like taking a vast amount of bribe during appointments.
The demonstrating employees also declared that they would continue their agitation programmes till the resignation of the DG.
Foundation sources said, before joining as the DG, there was only one relative of Shamin Afzal named Sayed Shah Emran was in the foundation Assistant Director. But after his appointment in 2009, there are now more than 50 first and second- class employees, who are his close relatives. In April and August of 2016, the foundation issued a circular seeking for 11 posts under 10 technical categories. But after a long procedure, the DG appointed Assistant Liberian, Section Officer, Accountant Officer, Women Coordinator, Publications Officer, Artist, Language Teacher and Research Assistant under revenue. DG’s sister-in-law Farjima Mizan got appointment as Artist of the foundation without any degree. When announced the circulation, Post graduation degree from Fine Arts was sought for the post. But Farjima has no degree in relevant discipline. It also mentioned in Farjima’s appointment letter that she got 62 marks in both written and Viva exam. .Sources said, niece of DG Fahmida Begum, nephew Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Mostafizur Rahman were recruited as Assistant Directors, Sirajum Munira as Women Coordinator, nephew Ehsanul Haque as Pesh Imam of Baitul Mokarram National Mosque, and other relatives Rejanul Alam as Publication officer, Misbah Uddin as Accountant Officer, Shah Alam as Production Manager and Munim as LDA. One Najmus Sakib, son of Harur Rashid, who is very close to DG got appointment as Assistant Liberian in the foundation.
The DG also appointed his close relative Taher Hossain’s wife Sahin Akter as Assistant Director, Jalal Ahmed’s wife Mahmuda Begum as Programme Officer and another close relative ABM Shafiqul Islam’s wife Homaira Akter as Planning Officer.
“If a small number of my relatives are appointed, then what’s the harm? But the only problem is that they are my relatives. Are not they Bangladeshi citizens?,” Shamim Afzal told The New Nation when his attention was drawn regarding the issue.
