HC expresses anger at BCIC for failure to submit report
Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Thursday expressed its immense anger upon the authorities of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) as they fail to submit a report over an allegation against Poton Traders, a contracting firm, for embezzling Tk 5.82 billion against
72,000 tons of imported chemical fertilizer.
During the hearing on a rule, the lawyer of the BCIC sought more time for submitting its probe report to the court.
Then the court said, “More than Tk 5 billion has been embezzled. Did the air eat the money? We will not tolerate any kind of corruption including money laundering. We have zero tolerance against the corruption.”
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and JusticeKhizir Hayat held hearing on the rule issued by it earlier on a Suo Muto (voluntary) move following a news report published on Bangla daily on this issue.
“Give us the specific names [of those] who are involved in embezzlement of money of fertilizers, we will take appropriate action against them. Nobody involved in embezzlement will be spared,” the HC bench added.
At that time the HC bench also warned that if necessary, it would send those found involved in embezzlement of imported chemical fertilizers straight to the jail.
The HC bench set July 9 for further hearing of the rule and asked BCIC lawyer to submit the investigation report to the court by this time.
Lawyer Molla Kismot Habib appeared in the court on behalf of the BCIC, while Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told the court that the commission will submit its probe report to the HC very soon.
Earlier on January 5, the HC bench directed the ACC and BCIC to conduct enquiry into the allegation of embezzling 72,000 tons of imported chemical fertilizer by Poton Traders. The HC asked the government bodies to submit their reports with it in 60 days.
Lawyer Molla Kismot Habib said, “We filed an affidavit on behalf of the BCIC in April. The High Court then gives time till June 15 for submitting our report. We have already prepared a 277-page report on it, and will submit it after some formalities.” According to the published report, Poton Traders have misappropriated 72,000 tons of government’s imported chemical fertilizer without carrying those to warehouses after those were released from the port.
Embezzlement of the fertilizer by the Poton Traders has come to the light after two investigations conducted by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, a government body under the Ministry of Industries, also read the report.
