ACC raids NCTB office over textbook scam
Staff Reporter :
A team from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has conducted a raid at the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) office as part of an investigation into corruption and irregularities surrounding the printing and distribution of textbooks.
On Sunday (February 9) afternoon, an ACC team visited the NCTB office to examine related allegations.
The team conducting the operation included ACC Assistant Director Md. Tapas Bhattacharya and Deputy Assistant Director Md. Roknuzzaman.
Reports suggest that during the tenure of the Awami League government, a contract for printing textbooks was illegally awarded to an Indian company, bypassing a South Korean firm with which an agreement had already been made.
Regarding the matter, ACC Deputy Assistant Director Md. Roknuzzaman stated, “We have come to NCTB to verify information related to certain corrupt practices during the previous Awami League government’s tenure.
Most of the current officials, including the chairman, have been recently appointed. We couldn’t access many of the required documents.”
He further mentioned that a South Korean company recently submitted a complaint to NCTB regarding irregularities in the textbook printing process.
NCTB has provided ACC with a copy of the complaint, but more documents are needed, so the investigation will continue.
It has been reported that during the Awami League government’s tenure, a South Korean company was unfairly deprived of a contract and an Indian company was given the task of printing 20 million primary-level textbooks.
For the 2017 academic year, the South Korean company TPS participated in the tender and was the lowest bidder for a total of 17 contracts.
However, instead of awarding them the nearly Tk 50 crore printing contract, the Awami League government, under high-level directives, assigned the work to an Indian company.
The ACC has stated that it will investigate the financial loss in foreign currency due to awarding the textbook printing contract to India.
Additionally, the commission is collecting various documents related to textbook-related irregularities and corruption under the previous government.
When contacted, NCTB Chairman Professor Riazul Hasan said, “The ACC team has reviewed some of the documents and information they requested from us.
They have printed copies of certain records as needed. We will provide them with more documents. We want a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.