BGSL staff realise Tk 3.96b in bribe since inception TIB

Officials and employees of Bakhrabad Gas System Ltd (BGSL) have taken Tk 3.96 billion in bribe since its inception from its customers only for providing gas connections, according to a report released by Transparency Internatio-nal, Bangladesh (TIB) in Chittagong Saturday, reports UNB.brThe report revealed that underhand dealings involving over Tk 252.8 million took place for giving gas connections in the 2007-08 fiscal alone.brThe report said corruption is also there in meter reading, raising gas pressure and bypassing gas in addition to providing illegal gas connections.brTIB also held a roundtable titled 'Corruption in natural gas supply and its marketing in Chittagong region Role of BGSL at a hotel Saturday, marking the release of the report.brSecretary of Oil-Gas Resources Protection Committee Dr Anu Mohammad and Prof Shamsul Alam of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) were the key discussants of the roundtable, presided over by Sacheton Nagorik Committee convenor Begum Mushtari Shafi.brModerated by TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, the roundtable was addressed, among others, by BGSL Managing Director Quamrul Islam, Nagorik Committee member secretary Adv Akhter Kabir Chowdhury and former principal of Chittagong College Dr Iftekharuddin Chowdhury.brDr Anu Mohammad told the discussion that the government has deliberately not taken any initiative since the 111 changeover to bring any change in the policy on which corruption got its roots. As apprehended earlier, the government has made a compromise with the corrupt persons, he said.brCorrupt to pay over Tk 100m in return for clemency Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) Chairman Justice Habibur Rahman Khan Saturday said the objective of forming his Commission is unlikely to be fully fulfilled if the corrupt politicians and businessmen do not come up to seek clemency, reports UNB.brHe also said politicians and businessmen are not feeling encouraged to come to TAC for clemency due to granting of bails on a large scale by courts.brDue to granting of bails in a large number, the politicians and businessmen are not feeling encouraged. If they don't approach the Commission, the objective of its formation will not be fulfilled, the TAC chairman told the news agency.brHowever, he said, I haven't yet lost hope completely. Still, there is time. I do hope politicians and businessmen will apply before the deadline to avail of clemency by the Commission.brSince its formation about a month ago, 199 corrupt individuals have applied to TAC for clemency in return for their ill-gotten wealth. Of them, only two are businessmen while the others are government officials and some of their wives.brSo far, not a single politician has applied to the Commission to avail of its clemency.brAnother report adds Corrupt individuals have so far agreed to pay more than Tk 100 million to the public exchequer in return for clemency by the TAC.brAccording to sources, some 25 corrupt individuals who have been heard by TAC during the first four days of the hearing have been asked to deposit over Tk 100 million to the state coffer.brThese people will be given seven to 15 days to deposit the money before they are given certificates granting clemency by TAC.brMeanwhile, TAC is scheduled to hear today (Sunday) 15 clemency seekers, the highest number on one day since the beginning of the hearing on Monday last.brThese 15 individuals include employees and officials from Titas Gas and sub-registrars.brThe three-member Commission, headed by Justice Habibur Rahman Khan, has so far heard the pleas of 25 individuals, including one businessman. The others are government officials of different departments.brTAC heard the pleas of seven individuals on the opening day (Monday) of hearing, four on Tuesday and six on Wednesday and eight on Thursday.