34 public and private offices face the ACC in Thakurgaon
In the public hearing of the ACC, the concerned officers and employees faced 60 complaints of 34 public and private departments, including bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement of government assets and money, acquisition of illegal assets and money laundering, acquisition of illegal assets against the employees of Thakurgaon District Commissioner.
The allegations were raised at a public hearing held at Thakurgaon District Shilpakala Academy Auditorium at 9 am on Monday (June 3) under the slogan ‘Rukhb Karpura Garab Desh, Hobe Sonar Bangladesh’. It was attended by the public who are victims of harassment, bribery and corruption to get services in various public and private offices and the senior officials and employees of the government offices providing the services.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen spoke as the chief guest at the public hearing. Meanwhile, the ACC secretary said, ‘Our public hearing is a preventive activity. Through this program, we are giving common people a chance to speak without fear and some grievances are resolved immediately. Hopefully the issues that are not resolved will be resolved within 7-10 days or the complaints will be investigated.”
He also said that the ACC will never exempt anyone in the search and investigation. Government services must be ensured at any cost to build Sonar Bangla, the dream of the father of the nation. Corruption does not end in a day. It has to be progressed step by step. He said that all the complaints heard in the public hearing have been considered very seriously.
In the public hearing, 69 complaints about harassment, forcing to pay bribes, deprivation etc. to get the services of 30 public and private offices of the district came up. Some problems are solved immediately.
By reviewing these complaints, it is seen that people in the offices of District Commissioner, Hospital, Civil Surgeon, Passport Office, Rural Electricity, Municipalities, BRTA, Sub-Registry, Land, Education Office, Primary Education Office, BADC Office, Ansar VDP, Police Station, Police etc. Being harassed more.
In the hearing, the victims accused Shahidul Islam, the office assistant of the District Commissioner’s office and the accused in the ACC case, of defrauding the poor and poor people of Pirganj upazila by defrauding the name of the government and the District Commissioner, and embezzling lakhs of taka by fraudulently buying their agricultural land and packaging the products of TCB.
A person accused an official of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) of bribery trade, harassment for installing pumps and demanding a bribe of Tk 50,000 in the name of providing irrigation facilities to farmers. Ansar VDP officials were accused of misappropriating money by issuing fake bill vouchers on various issues including vehicles.
A person accused Anisur Rahman, an ambulance driver of the 250-bed Sadar Hospital, of disobeying government regulations and acquiring illegal wealth. A woman complained that she was subjected to bribery and harassment while withdrawing her deceased husband’s money from Rupali Bank Thakurgaon branch.
Sub-Registrar’s office is not serviced without money. Allegations of harassment and bribery were raised in the settlement office. Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BCIC) officials and a person complained of harassment and extortion of extra money for birth registration in the municipality.
A customer named Jitendra Nath complained against GM Mahfuzur Rahman of Palli Vidyut Office that without money, service is not available here. A customer complained of asking for bribe to repair and remove an abandoned electricity pillar in the yard. Besides, a public hearing was held on 60 complaints of 34 public and private institutions, including harassment related to cases against the officials of Pirganj Police Station and Sadar Police Station.
Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mahabubur Rahman also spoke in the public hearing under the chairmanship of ACC Director General (Anti) Akter Hossain, Rangpur Divisional Office Director Talebur Rahman, Police Superintendent Uttam Prasad Pathak and Deputy Director of Thakurgaon-Panchgarh ACC District Office.
Tanveer Hasan Tanu/SR/MS
