State-owned Keru & Co accused of huge anomalies
Syed Shemul Parvez :
Keru & Co (Bangladesh) Limited, the country’s only state-owned liquor manufacturer located in Darshana, Chuadanga, is now in a heated debate over allegations of irregularities and lack of accountability and abuse of administrative authority.
Main allegation goes against the company’s Managing Director Mir Rabbik Hasan and the Chairman of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) Dr. Lipika Bhadra.
Sources say that the approval of the new machine used for bottling liquor at Keru was only for experimental production. The approval of 2023 states “Permission for experimental production is given for a period of one year only.” But in violation of that condition, liquor is being bottled commercially on a regular basis, which is a direct violation of the rules of the Department of Narcotics Control.
This is not the end. The bottles produced in the new machine do not have the mandatory ‘Excise Duty Paid’ seal.
Even there is also no CCTV connection and monitoring system prescribed by the authority. However, if these conditions are not met, production is illegal. Huge commercial production is now going on without following any rules. Interestingly, this entire process is being handled by an Ansar officer who has no technical qualifications or drug control expertise.
Meanwhile, another major irregularity has emerged in Keru’s agricultural sector. Loss-making vegetable seeds are being given to hundreds of farmers on leased land.
In the past, where farmers used to make a profit by cultivating sugar, now production costs are not even covered.
As a result, farmers are incurring losses every year in Keru’s vegetable (pumpkin) cultivation project.
On the other hand, centering the issue extreme instability has arisen within the organization. Several officers and employees have been transferred illegally due to administrative arbitrariness. The posts to which they are being transferred have no approval in the government structure. Some received transfer orders at midnight, while others came to the office to learn about their transfers.
A writ has already been filed in the High Court against these irregularities. The writ states that Keru’s Managing Director and the BSFIC Chairman are issuing appointment and transfer orders in violation of government rules. Although a stay order was sought in the court regarding this matter, the KERU authorities are ignoring it and continuing the posting process.