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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is enquiring allegations of embezzlement of Tk 300 crore against former Managing Director of Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) Ali Md Al Mamun, former Managing Director Atiquzzaman, and current General Manager (Planning Division) Engineer Abu Sayed Mahmud.
At the same time, the enquiry is also going on into their allegations of illegal acquisition of wealth.
It was known that the enquiry officer had recently submitted a report to the commission.
ACC enquirys have found prima facie evidence that the two former MDs had assets beyond their known income. Atiquzzaman retired in 2018, and Ali Md. Al Mamun retired in 2022.
After the enquiry, ACC Assistant Director Ruhul Amin submitted the report to the Commission.
He recommended that the complaint against General Manager (Planning Division) Abu Sayed Mahmud be dropped as the allegation of acquiring assets beyond the known income was not proven.
Former managing director Ali Md. Al Mamun and his wife Dr. Nelufa Ferdous and former managing director Atiquzzaman and his wife Husna Habib in the name of the assets acquired in the name of ACC were recommended to take the necessary steps to issue notice under Section 26(1) of the ACC Act, 2004. ACC Director General (Investigation-1) Rezanur Rahman presented this information at the commission meeting held on September 5.
In this regard, the former managing director of GTCL, Ali Md. Al Mamun, told The Daily Messenger, "I retired on July 14, 2022. I gave all the information in writing to the ACC when I was the director of Petrobangla. The ACC officer also went to my village house. The enquirying officer has also changed several times. First Sirajul Haque, then Ruhul Amin, was responsible for the enquiries. Sirajul Haque also took my asset statement. The allegations made against me have been made against Atiquzzaman as well. How is that possible? I have worked with integrity all my life. The people of Petrobangla have done this against me. I live in my father's house in Khilgaon, Dhaka. Ruhul Amin also went to my village house. Still, why did he give a report like that?”
Petrobangla has found evidence of massive irregularities and corruption in setting up CGS and CTMS along with the gas transmission pipeline from Maheshkhali to Anwara. The supply of LNG to the national grid is hampered by the use of substandard components. This creates a crisis in the energy sector. Although action was recommended against the project director and the contractor, GTCL did not implement it. Allegedly, with the connivance of Petrobangla's former chairman, ABM Fattah, and director Ali Md. Al Mamun, the corrupt are getting away with the 103 crores project. GTCL transmits gas to the national grid from the CGS station at Anwara via Karnaphuli. Gas supply has been disrupted at least eight times in three years due to substandard components. Petrobangla's investigation committee recommended action against the accused project director (PD), but GTCL did not take it into account.
Regarding this complaint, Ali Md. Al Mamun said, “I was not involved with this project at the beginning. I joined later. Its project director (PD) was Abu Sayed Mahmud.”
GTCL's former managing director, Atiquzzaman told The Daily Messenger, "So many lies, nothing to say. I retired as an MD in 2018. Later, I was appointed on a contractual basis for one and a half years. Complaints started against me only after my contractual appointment. I was an MD at three companies, including Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex), GTCL, and Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL).’’
GTCL General Manager (Planning Division) Abu Sayed Mahmud told The Daily Messenger, "I don't know anything. Let ACC investigate.”
ACC Director General (Investigation-1) Rezanur Rahman said in the commission meeting on September 5, "The supervising officer found some errors in the investigation officer's report.
As Investigating Officer Assistant Director Ruhul Amin has been transferred from Head Office to Jamalpur Intrigated District Office, it is also recommended to appoint a new enquiry officer to answer queries regarding his remuneration.’’
It is said in the query that the enquiry officer's report did not mention anything in detail about the five cases contained in charge no. 1. Complaint No. 4 requires verification of justification for the delay in the approval of the design and detailed engineering. Complaint No. 6-10: Whether the installation of the gas transmission pipeline has been done correctly is not admissible without the opinion of impartial experts as per specification. In complaint number 11, it is necessary to see whether the tender evaluation committee has done its job properly, including the details of the work done by the three enterprises during the time of former managing director Ali Md. Al Mamun. There is a departmental report on complaint number 14. Four officials were found involved in it. No criminal offense was recommended against them. It is necessary to verify whether there is involvement of the managing director with them. To know
whether the 25 invoices mentioned in complaint number 16 have been checked, a certificate should be obtained from customs. Whether the bills mentioned in complaint no. 17 are correct should be verified through the authorities.
Ali Md. Al Mamun retired as Director (Operations & Mines) of Petrobangla. On July 18, 2022, at GTCL's head office, under the chairmanship of the company's Managing Director, Engineer Rukhsana Nazma Eshaque, a farewell reception was also held.
On April 13, 2015, Engineer Atiquzzaman took over as MD of Bapex. ACC Deputy Director Komolesh Mondol has been appointed as the new enquiry officer for the complaint.
Messenger/Disha
