Hook the corrupt and reward the honest

Doing a job diligently is a crime and corruption is rewarding in almost all sectors in the country’s bureaucracy and government offices.

Here, those who perform better eventually become redundant and the worst performer becomes the leader to weekend the institute – an established system of corruption and misgovernance that discourages honesty and meritocracy.

This time, BTCL set a unique example of such acts that go against human instincts and the Constitution.

News media reported that in February last year, the telecom ministry tasked the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) to install an optical fibre transmission network as part of the preparations for the 5G roll-out.

As the managing director of BTCL, Asaduzzaman Chowdhury was also the head of the procurement entity (HOPE).

However, he was thwarted from performing his duty as the HOPE by Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, secretary to the posts and telecommunications division that oversees BTCL. The tender floated by BTCL in December last year had three takers: Huawei, ZTE and Nokia.

As the bidders did not meet minimum technical specifications, Chowdhury did not sign off on the technical evaluation report and called for a fresh tender.

This was brought up at a meeting of the posts and telecommunications division chaired by Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar on June 19, where the approval for the fresh tender was given.

The following day, the posts and telecommunications division issued two separate letters: One to submit the latest status report on the tender at the next BTCL board meeting and the other to send all information for the Central Procurement Technical Unit’s (CPTU) opinion.

At the following BTCL board meeting, which was held on July 14 and chaired by Zaman, Chowdhury was told to quickly wrap up the tender process.

He was categorically asked to approve the technical evaluation report, in yet another instance of Zaman overstepping his authority.

According to the law, the HOPE is the sole authority to approve the technical evaluation reports.

Once that report is approved, the financial offers can be unsealed. The lowest offer would be selected and approved by the BTCL board.

Huawei on April 16 complained about the delay in approval of a technical evaluation report, pointing fingers at Chowdhury.

The letters, which were sent to the secretary and director general of the CPTU, mentioned the date on which the technical evaluation report was handed to Chowdhury — a piece of information that Huawei was not supposed to know.

Using Huawei’s letter, the ministry on May 25 show-caused Chowdhury over the delay, in yet another violation of the law.

It is an example of great corporate corruption, where the minister and the secretary are involved. We demand a proper investigation of the incident and book the corrupt under the legal system.