THE government has launched an investigation into allegations against former Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui of selling three state-owned Textile Mills with lands and some assets of other establishments at surprisingly lower prices, reported a local daily. The then Textile Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, now the Posts and Telecommunications Minister, and some other officials at the Ministry led the sale of Mohini Textile Mills in Kushtia, Muslin Cotton Mills in Gazipur, Chishti Textile Mills in Comilla, Textile Facility Centre in Noakhali, 3.90 acres of land of Valika Woollen Mills in Chittagong violating the rules, they said. Mohini Textile Mills was sold to a private entrepreneur for Tk 48 crore, Muslin Cotton Mills for Tk 135 crore and Chishti Textile Mills for Tk 35 crore, as per the report. All were significantly lower than market prices. In the process, the ministry also ignored the instructions of the Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Cabinet Division and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. All the three mills were sold without tender and at the will of the Minister.
The Prime Minister’s Office on April 22 formed a five-member committee headed by its Director General 1 to examine the process of privatisation of state-owned factories and assets under the Textiles and Jute Ministry amidst allegations of irregularities in the process against Ministry officials including the then minister, officials at the Ministry said. When approached, Latif Siddiqui said that he would not make any comment as the matter was under investigation, as per the report. The committee will also determine the losses, if any, caused to the government in the sales of the mills and assets.
The committee has unofficially started the investigation by collecting relevant documents and it will formally start the investigation soon.
It has become part and parcel of our political structure that certain of our ministers think of themselves as the feudal lords of old and think of their ministries as personal fiefdoms to be exploited as they will. It is astonishing that the minister named above went so far as to totally ignore the recommendations of both the Finance Minister and his own officials to indulge in his whimsy. One can only deduce the reasons for his selling the public lands at prices far below the market price – his purported venality is as yet unproven but one thing is definite – he has caused serious harm to the public exchequer by allowing sales of the units to occur at such low prices.
Let us hope that such investigation will be made against others who are using public office for private gains. The question may legitimately be asked will there be left anyone in power who will not be subjected to allegations of misusing government power to amass wealth. Honesty in public office is the first quality a political leader should be able to show for the whole administration. The reality in our politics is that encouragement has been coming from corrupt politicians for others to be corrupt by abusing public office.
