Probe committee concludes hearing allegations against DG Shipping

May 4, 2023

Staff Reporter :
A five-member probe committee formed by the Shipping Ministry led with its Additional Secretary Sanjoy Kumar Banik on Wednesday concluded the hearing over the investigation to find out reasons for inner conflict and identify the irregularities and corruption in its EGIMNS Project and allegations of misusing the power and giving works to his associates and relatives raised against the Director General of the Department of Shipping (DoS).

Meanwhile, a Shipping Ministry source said the ministry has taken steps to send Commodore Md Nizamul Haque back to his main service, Bangladesh Navy and assign another official for the post of DG Shipping. To ensure it, a proposal has been send to the Prime Minister’s Office through the Public Administration Ministry.

On the last day of enquiry, the probe body heard the statement of DG Shipping Commodore Md Nizamul Haque and 15 local contractors and sub-contractors and two foreign contractors of the ‘EGIMNS (Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and Integrated Maritime Navigation System) Project’ under the Shipping Ministry.

Besides, the Korean Ambassador to Dhaka Lee Jang-keun on Wednesday held separate meeting with the Ministry’s Secretary Md. Mostafa Kamal at his Secretariat office on implementation of the project partially financed by the Korean government and implementing by a Korean company.

Ministry sources informed that the Korean envoy requested the secretary to complete the probe quickly and conclude the project work within its stipulated time by June, 2024.

According to probe committee officials, all relevant persons including DG Shipping Nizamul Haque submitted their written statement about the allegations raised against them on Wednesday. The local and foreign contractors have also given their statement to the probe committee, so that they can submit a complete report within its stipulated period given by the ministry.

Earlier on the first day of the hearing, the probe body took statement of EGIMNS Project’s Project Director Abu Sayed Mohammad Delowar Rahman and on Tuesday, other project officials have given their statements to the committee.