Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The ongoing unrest in the Islamic Foundation has not yet stopped over its Director General Shamim Mohammad Afzal’s resignation issue.
On the 5th day on Tuesday, employees of the foundation staged demonstration at its Agargoan head office demanding the DG’s resignation. They brought various allegations against him like abuse of official power, and illegal and arbitrary actions.
The demonstrating employees also declared that they would continue their agitation programmes till the resignation of the DG.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah hoped that Shamim Mohammad Afzal himself would take the decision about his resignation.
“The ball is now in DG’s court. We would not make any request to him to resign on behalf of the ministry. But if his good sense arises, hopefully he will resign,” said the state minister while addressing an emergency press briefing at his Secretariat office on Tuesday.
He said, “Running deadlock in the activities of the foundation is not acceptable at all. If DG’s any irregularities are found, the ministry will take action,” he warned.
Sources said, recently a businessman of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque namely Sohrab Hossain Gazi broke the 15 feet attached wall of the mosque’s building in the dark of night to expand his wife’s shop.
Mohi Uddin Mozumder, Director of the Mosque and Market, sent a letter to the DG in this regard requesting him to take proper action against the businessman after proper investigation.
But allegation has been raised against Shamim that he did not take any action against the trader. He, rather, sent the file to a deputy director with whom he has intimacy. The DG avoided the issue and instead sacked Mohi Uddin Mozumder.
However, the Religious Ministry did not take it easy. Some members of the Board of Governors of the foundation raised the question that whether the DG has the power to suspend a director.
Islamic Foundation is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
On June 3, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, President of the Disciplinary and Appeal Committee of Officer-Employee of Board of Governors of the foundation sent an application to the state minister mentioning that the suspension was totally illegal according to the rules of the foundation.
The same day, Mohi Uddin Mozumder also sent another application to the state minister with appeal to cancel his suspension order. He mentioned that as per the rules of termination, the DG is bound to take consent of the Board of Governors. But he did not do it. Even the DG did not give him the right to defend himself.
On May 7, the Religious Ministry also received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with some particular complaints.
Regarding this, the Ministry of Religious Affairs served a show cause notice on DG Shamim Mohammad Afzal on June 10 to explain as to why his contractual appointment should not be scrapped on the charges of abuse of power.
The DG was asked to reply to the show cause notice within seven days of the date of receipt. But till date the DG did not give any answer against his allegations, said a ministry source on Tuesday.
When tried to get the DG’s reaction, he did not receive any phone call of this reporter.
The ongoing unrest in the Islamic Foundation has not yet stopped over its Director General Shamim Mohammad Afzal’s resignation issue.
On the 5th day on Tuesday, employees of the foundation staged demonstration at its Agargoan head office demanding the DG’s resignation. They brought various allegations against him like abuse of official power, and illegal and arbitrary actions.
The demonstrating employees also declared that they would continue their agitation programmes till the resignation of the DG.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Sheikh Md. Abdullah hoped that Shamim Mohammad Afzal himself would take the decision about his resignation.
“The ball is now in DG’s court. We would not make any request to him to resign on behalf of the ministry. But if his good sense arises, hopefully he will resign,” said the state minister while addressing an emergency press briefing at his Secretariat office on Tuesday.
He said, “Running deadlock in the activities of the foundation is not acceptable at all. If DG’s any irregularities are found, the ministry will take action,” he warned.
Sources said, recently a businessman of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque namely Sohrab Hossain Gazi broke the 15 feet attached wall of the mosque’s building in the dark of night to expand his wife’s shop.
Mohi Uddin Mozumder, Director of the Mosque and Market, sent a letter to the DG in this regard requesting him to take proper action against the businessman after proper investigation.
But allegation has been raised against Shamim that he did not take any action against the trader. He, rather, sent the file to a deputy director with whom he has intimacy. The DG avoided the issue and instead sacked Mohi Uddin Mozumder.
However, the Religious Ministry did not take it easy. Some members of the Board of Governors of the foundation raised the question that whether the DG has the power to suspend a director.
Islamic Foundation is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
On June 3, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, President of the Disciplinary and Appeal Committee of Officer-Employee of Board of Governors of the foundation sent an application to the state minister mentioning that the suspension was totally illegal according to the rules of the foundation.
The same day, Mohi Uddin Mozumder also sent another application to the state minister with appeal to cancel his suspension order. He mentioned that as per the rules of termination, the DG is bound to take consent of the Board of Governors. But he did not do it. Even the DG did not give him the right to defend himself.
On May 7, the Religious Ministry also received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with some particular complaints.
Regarding this, the Ministry of Religious Affairs served a show cause notice on DG Shamim Mohammad Afzal on June 10 to explain as to why his contractual appointment should not be scrapped on the charges of abuse of power.
The DG was asked to reply to the show cause notice within seven days of the date of receipt. But till date the DG did not give any answer against his allegations, said a ministry source on Tuesday.
When tried to get the DG’s reaction, he did not receive any phone call of this reporter.
