ACC sues 21 over fake freedom fighter
Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has given approval to file six cases against 21 people over allegations of fraud in the recruitment of six candidates under the freedom fighter quota in the 29th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, even though the candidates did not apply under that quota.
ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam confirmed the matter to the media Wednesday.
According to the findings of the ACC investigation, the six candidates were unlawfully appointed to different cadres including administration, police, family planning and general education around six months after the publication of the 29th BCS results.
The appointments were allegedly obtained through collusion, abuse of authority, forgery and deception by misusing the quota meant for children of freedom fighters.
Those who allegedly benefited from the irregular recruitment include Rakibur Rahman Khan, currently serving as deputy secretary (administration) at the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA); Md Tofazzal Hossain, zonal settlement officer and deputy secretary of the Jamalpur Zone; and Nahida Barik, deputy secretary at the Bangladesh Forestry Development Corporation.
Others include Halima Khatun, assistant director at the Chuadanga District Family Planning Office under the Family Planning Cadre; Md Milton Ali Biswas, assistant professor of political science at Government Keshab Chandra College in Jhenaidah under the General Education Cadre; and Khorshed Alam, superintendent of police of the 6th Armed Police Battalion (APBN) in Mahalchhari, Khagrachhari, appointed under the Police Cadre.
Apart from these six officials, 15 more individuals have been accused, including a former chairman and several former members of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), a former secretary, a former controller of examinations (cadre), and an official from the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
The accused include former PSC secretary Chowdhury Md Babul Hasan; PSC members AT Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury, Muhammad Liaquat Ali Khan, Mohammad Hossain Serniabat, Syed Hasimur Rahman, Mirza Shamsuzzaman, Professor Suraiya Begum, Ehsan Shamim, Brigadier General (retd) Abidur Reza Khan, Professor Rashida Begum, Professor Dr Emran Kabir Chowdhury, Ikram Ahmed and Professor Dr Farida Adib Khanam; former controller of examinations A I M Nesar Uddin; and former assistant secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs Md Lokman Ahmed.
The ACC said it has recommended filing six separate regular cases under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code, along with section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The commission approved the filing of the cases after reviewing the recommendations submitted by the investigation team.