Tk 45.7m outstanding telephone bills realised from former MPs

FE Team | Published: July 07, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

More than Tk 45.7 million (4.57 crore) was realised until June this year as outstanding residential telephone bills from former lawmakers of the Jatiya Sangsad belonging to the first to the eighth Parliament, against an amount of Tk 91.2 million dues to 801 lawmakers, reports BSS.
Of the total realised money, about Tk 24.9 million was realised in last six months from January, 2007 to June, 2007, according to sources in the Post and Telecommunications Ministry. The amount of outstanding bills at present is about Tk 51.2 million.
A tremendous success was achieved in realising the outstanding bills because of various steps taken by the present caretaker government and ensuring accountability of the activities of the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), sources said.
A reliable source in the ministry said, 67 members of parliament (MPs) have already died, among the total 108 belonging to the country's first to the eighth parliament who defaulted in paying telephone bills amounting to Tk 9,12,48,108.
The BTTB filed cases against 311 former lawmakers to realise the dues. Of the cases, 29 were lodged against the inheritors of the deceased MPs.
According to the sources, 47 persons have paid their outstanding bills totally and 47 others partially. However, 302 former MPs paid Tk 2,48,79,836 as their dues in last six months ending on June 30.
The highest amount of Tk 3,46,10,398 was outstanding to 195 MPs of the fifth parliament followed by Tk 3,05,64,052 to 195 MPs of the seventh parliament, Tk 1,41,82,637 to 205 MPs of the eighth parliament, Tk 1,01,78,599 to 110 MPs of the fourth parliament, Tk 13,01,893 to 55 MPs of the third parliament, Tk 2,58,979 to 29 MPs of the second parliament.
Dues to the MPs of the 1st parliament was Tk 71,550 while there was no outstanding telephone bills to the MPs of the sixth parliament.
BTTB General Manager (Finance and Accounts) M Abu Sayeed Khan told the news anency that the drive to realise outstanding telephone bills from former MPs is still going on.