Youth Development Department mired in corruption

AN investigation at the Department of Youth Development (DYD) has recently found embezzlement of Tk 13.96 crore in what is the seventh such incident at the department in two years. The probe committee by the youth and sports ministry and the DYD early this year found 10 officials and employees of the department and the accounts office in Zakiganj, Sylhet, were involved in the racket.
The Anti-Corruption Commission started investigating the matter after the DYD filed a general diary with Zakiganj Police Station early this year. Zakiganj Upazila Youth Development Officer Kabir returned Tk 1 crore to the government exchequer during the departmental investigation. In five separate investigations last year, the DYD found that five assistant upazila youth development officers (AUYDO) misappropriated over Tk 26 lakh meant to provide youths with loans.

During the departmental proceedings that followed, all of them admitted that they had committed financial crimes. But the DYD only lowered their salaries and decided to recover the embezzled money from their pension benefits, according to documents. In May last year, a ministry probe found that this was done ignoring the ministry directive of picking the most competent, honest, and experienced officers. The probe report said large sums might have changed hands when this was done.

The parliamentary standing committee on youth and sports ministry in different meetings also ordered cancelling the order. But the DYD has yet to cancel it because there was bribery behind the order. Meanwhile, the public service commission approved a list of 118 AUYDOs prepared for promotion to UYDO. The decision of promotion is pending with State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel since March 6.

The probe committee also recommended a further inquiry into the suspected financial transactions and a separate investigation committee to find out the roles of higher authorities. None of these have been done yet. Corruption during the regime has become institutionalised, nobody in the bureaucracy in this autocracy is sorry and maintains secrecy in doing corruption as the entire state machinery follows the rules of corruption. Where there is no democracy, there is no accountability-it is proved.