Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has detected gross irregularities in Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited in giving gas connections to about 500 business establishments during the last four years. The Titas Gas bosses have taken a hefty amount of at least Tk. 1,000 crore in bribe in giving the gas connections, revealed a recently conducted investigation into the irregularities of the company.
Titas Gas officials allegedly collected Taka two crore from each company to provide gas connection, Ahsan Ali who is currently conducting a probe into the graft allegations by Titas Gas disclosed it to the media on Friday.
He said the ACC inquiry has unearthed involvement of some top officials of Titas Gas in giving gas connections to the private companies in exchange for money.
At least a dozen of top officials of Titas Gas Company were interrogated during the probe into the graft allegation. “I have already interrogated Titas Gas Managing Director Engineer M Nowshad Islam and Bapex Managing Director M Abdul Baki in connection with the graft allegations,” Ahsan Ali said.
On April 2 last, the ACC has already interrogated former Managing Director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited Abdul Aziz, former director (Operations) Engineer
Khalid Hasan and general managers Engineer Mujibul Haque and Engineer Fuad-ul-Islam.
On March 10, the ACC launched a probe into the graft allegation against Petrobangla Chairman Prof Dr M Hossain Monsur and 13 managing directors of its subsidiaries.
The ACC sources said the 13 managing directors of Petrobangla’s associate companies swindled over Tk 200 crore while carrying out development works in the last four years. The 13 subsidiary of Petrobangla are Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited, Sylhet Gas Fields Limited, Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited, Gas Transmission Company Limited, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited, Paschimanchal Gas Company Limited, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited, Sundarban Gas Company Limited, Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited, Barapukuria Coal Mine Company and Maddhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited.
