Energy Ministry to back probe against Petrobangla chief

State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid on Tuesday said his ministry will support the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) in investigating the corruption charges against Petrobangla chairman Dr. Hussain Monsur and some of its some other managing directors. “ACC’s move has proved that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government believes in independence of anti-corruption body. The ACC should continue its investigation. We’ll continue to support the investigation,” he told reporters at a meet-the-press programme at the National Press Club. The ACC launched the probe into the graft allegations against Petrobangla chairman Prof Dr M Hossain Monsur and 13 managing directors of its associate companies. The Commission at its regular meeting on Sunday decided to probe the graft allegations and appointed its deputy director Ahsan Ali as its inquiry officer. After getting the new assignment, ACC inquiry officer Ahsan Ali has already sent notices to the Petrobangla authorities asking them to send relevant documents of the graft allegations, and he himself visited its head office here on Monday in this regard. ACC sources said the 13 managing directors of Petrobangla’s associate companies allegedly swindled over Tk 200 crore while implementing its various development works in the last four years, and the responsibility for it also goes to the Petrobangla chairman as he did not take any action against them. The parliamentary standing committee on power and energy also found irregularities in appointing officials to the 13 companies, according to the allegations. Bangladesh Mineral Oil and Gas Corporation (Petrobangla), a state-run organisation, is involved in exploration of oil gas and mineral resources, according to a news agency.