CAA graft eats away Tk 11.32b
Thursday, 26 March 2009
A parliamentary watchdog has uncovered evidence of graft worth Tk 11.32 billion (1132 crore) within the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) during the last eight years, reports bdnews24.com.
The parliamentary standing committee on public undertaking gave the authority 10 days Wednesday to submit replies to the charges of financial irregularities, revealed after examining audit objections since 2001, when BNP came to power.
Civil aviation and tourism Minister GM Quader issued strong warnings to the CAA officials, said committee Chairman Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir MP.
"This is a horrible situation. They sucked up Tk 11.32 billion without implementing any development projects," Alamgir told the news agency after the meeting.
"Where did the money go?" he asked.
Khan said, "The authority could not give us any reply against the allegations."
"The committee members including the civil aviation minister were seriously angry at these irregularities."
Alamgir said because of time shortage, it could not discuss the audit reports thoroughly at the meeting.
"We will discuss these at our next meeting after the submission of their replies within the next 10 days," he said.
Committee member Moin Uddin Khan Badal MP told journalists, "The minister said the wrongdoers would not be spared."
Another committee member and chief whip of the opposition, Zainul Abdin Farroque MP, told reporters there were corrupt practices during the past caretaker government's regime.
"During its tenure, the authority appointed 77 employees against the posts of 25 persons.
"This is a massive irregularity," Farroque told reporters.
The parliamentary standing committee on public undertaking gave the authority 10 days Wednesday to submit replies to the charges of financial irregularities, revealed after examining audit objections since 2001, when BNP came to power.
Civil aviation and tourism Minister GM Quader issued strong warnings to the CAA officials, said committee Chairman Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir MP.
"This is a horrible situation. They sucked up Tk 11.32 billion without implementing any development projects," Alamgir told the news agency after the meeting.
"Where did the money go?" he asked.
Khan said, "The authority could not give us any reply against the allegations."
"The committee members including the civil aviation minister were seriously angry at these irregularities."
Alamgir said because of time shortage, it could not discuss the audit reports thoroughly at the meeting.
"We will discuss these at our next meeting after the submission of their replies within the next 10 days," he said.
Committee member Moin Uddin Khan Badal MP told journalists, "The minister said the wrongdoers would not be spared."
Another committee member and chief whip of the opposition, Zainul Abdin Farroque MP, told reporters there were corrupt practices during the past caretaker government's regime.
"During its tenure, the authority appointed 77 employees against the posts of 25 persons.
"This is a massive irregularity," Farroque told reporters.