The investigation report on irregularities in making almost gold and silverless ‘Liberation War Friendship Honorary Crest’ is likely to be submitted to the cabinet meeting on Monday, sources said.
The investigation committee has found evidence of irregularities in making 344 crests against 13 people, including former state minister for liberation war affairs ministry and its former and incumbent secretaries, said sources of the committee.
They have been accused of submitting bill claiming that two bhories of gold and silver had been used instead of one bhori and got the bill passed. But after examination, it was detected that nominal gold and silver had been used and thereby an amount of Tk 7.3 crore or more has been misappropriated.
The crests were made to honour some foreigners for their outstanding contribution in the war of liberation in 1971.
The report says, former State Minister for the Liberation War Ministry A B Tajul Islam, its former Secretary Mizanur Rahman, incumbent Secretary K H Masud Siddique, and other 10 people were involved in the malpractice.
The two organisations, which provided the crests, have also been shown guilty in the report.
Besides, the piece of wood used in the crests is stated to be substandard. The alleged accused showing vouchers mentioned that two bhories of gold and silver were used in each crest. But the reality is that a little gold and silver were used in those.
The government awarded some statesmen, politicians, philosophers, artist-writers, intellectuals, prominent citizens and organisations of different countries with the prestigious crests on the 40th anniversary of liberation war.
On April 6, a national daily carried out news on the irregularities. Taking into cognizance it, the ministry of liberation war formed a committee making Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Zillur Rahman as the main.
After holding investigation, the committee submitted its report to AKM Muzammel Haque, Minister for the Liberation War Affairs on Thursday last.
