Sagar Biswas :
The government is facing an unpleasant time shouldering blame of massive corruption and irregularities against a couple of ministers.
The situation was further complicated with the arrest of ruling party MP Pinu Khan’s son for killing two people firing in city street from his licensed pistol. Since he was using his MP mother’s stickered car, it handed over more ammunition to opponents to take on the government.
The corruption stories of two ministers – the minister for disaster management and relief Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food minister Qamrul Islam – are now high on discussion in party forum. The ruling party stalwarts, however, are refraining from making public comment in the media.
Insiders said the government is not taking stern action just this moment; as the court is about to give verdicts on both the ministers soon. But the party high command is visibly ‘disturbed’. Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina is handling an embarrassing situation and already expressed her dissatisfaction over the issues.
“Everything should have an end…,” veteran Awami League leader and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said expressing his dissatisfaction. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] already expressed annoyance about the ‘controversial’ activities of the two ministers. On the other hand, Jamaat-e Islami demanded resignation of the two ministers on charges of corruption.
Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya came under pressure to resign when the Appellate Division cancelled a High Court bench verdict acquitting him from 13-year jail sentence in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
And Qamrul jumped to the fry pan on disclosure of import of rotten wheat from Brazil which is substandard and not eatable.
The civil society members now think that the two ministers should not stay in power anymore as they have already become branded with corruption.
“No one is above the law…. Maya is under trial, it’s now the High Court’s jurisdiction whether he’ll remain as minister or not,” eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain said.
Earlier, Maya was at the center of controversy stealing media headlines when his son-in-law former RAB official Tareque Syed was arrested for his involvement in killing seven persons in Naraynganj. He was about to lose his cabinet berth on that occasion but marginally overcome it. He may be facing irrevocable outcome this time.
The food minister is particularly blamed for swindling public money under the cover of import of rotten wheat for Tk 400 crores.
Qamrul told parliament on Jun 20 that Bangladesh would not procure wheat any more from Brazil but he had already procured that and money paid. “We’ll not bring this again. This [wheat] even looks bad.” He also claimed the wheat was not rotten which turned out to be a public joke soon.
Civil aviation minister Rashed Khan Menon recently told the parliament that the country’s GDP growth would rise by 2.5 per cent if corruption could be effectively curbed. He made the comments apparently aiming at both the ministers.
In fact, corruption is everywhere. Expressing his anger, finance minister AMA Muhith told the parliament on June 30 that he could not take action against swindlers of Sonali Bank and Basic Bank because of obstruction from powerful lobbies of the government.
The home ministry is coming under criticism for rampant killing, mugging and other crimes. But state minister Asaduzzamn Khan seems to be quite satisfied with the present law and order situation. His comment that it is ‘tolerable’ made many critical about the minister.
Information minister Hasanul Haque Inu came under severe criticism in parliament for making immature comment about future of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Suranjit Sengupta warned him saying he should or any such ministers keep in mind that their faulty comments bring embarrassment to the Prime Minister.
Former post and tele communication minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui is making the situation disquiet again.
