[chottala.com] DigitAL corruption: PM’s circle holy no more

PM's circle holy no more

Ataus Samad

The malodorous slick of corruption has now flowed in right up to the
doorstep of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). And the sickening flow
is threatening to become a huge dark wave as the amount of money
stolen from just one state-owned bank, where Awami League predators
prowl, has set a record even in this corruption-ridden country. One of
alleged ring-leaders in this unbelievable bank-fraud had been seen in
close proximity of one of the cabinet-ranking advisers of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With this latest scandal breaking out from the deep dark shadows into
the glare of public knowledge the number of official advisers of the
Prime Minister who have been named in relation to cases of alleged
corruption and swindling stands at three out of six. These advisers
sit at the PMO. Also, one minister and another former minister are
subject of investigation either for alleged corruption or for
wrongdoing. However, these five are only a few among many. Upon
completing her first year in office Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had
claimed that none has been able to point a finger for corruption at
any member of her cabinet in that time and that's what made the
difference between her government and that of BNP-led four-party
alliance (2001 ­ 2006).

At that time she had brushed aside the newspaper reports appearing
very frequently of grabbing government contracts by force by members
of the Awami League and its front organisations. Those reports were
often accompanied by photographs of armed violence by the
contract-grabbers. Even now the Prime Minister and persons seeking her
favour react angrily to any suggestion that people near to her as well
as other influential Awami Leaguers are indulging in corruption. But
howsoever loudly Sheikh Hasina and her friends may protest it is now
clear to all that she and her government have been unable or unwilling
to control corruption. And there is little that she can do now to
scrub clean this sullied image of her party, government and even that
of some of her kith and kin as investigations into charges of
corruption related to the Bangladesh government have spread to other
countries (e.g, Canada and USA). If the government wished then a fresh
case could be investigated in Netherlands.

The latest episode is, however, stunning. An inspection team of the
Bangladesh Bank has discovered that an amount of Tk.3547 crores has
been spirited away from the Sonali Bank, the largest of the
state-owned banks, by way of loans and false letters of credit. Out of
this astronomical figure just one company, by the name of Hall Mark,
took Tk. 2686.14 crores. This money was siphoned out through just one
branch of the bank in Dhaka. By some strange coincident Prime
Minister's adviser reputed ophthalmologist Syed Modasser used to visit
that branch of the bank as well as had been a guest of honour with the
Hall Mark group on several occasions. Dr. Modasser however claims his
activities to be political socialisation. Interestingly, on one
occasion when he was at that particular branch of the bank present too
was an inquiry team of the Bangladesh Bank.

The cabinet-ranking adviser had a friendly chat with that team. The
not-so-famous independent Anti-corruption Commission of Bangladesh is
investigating into the Sonali Bank case upon being requested by the
Bangladesh Bank. So far none has been detained for being involved with
the alleged swindle. But Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and
the Sonali Bank's Board of Directors on the one side and the
Bangladesh Bank on the other have become gloriously involved in a row
on the matter. The finance minister has said that the Bangladesh Bank
had no authority to suggest that the present board of the Sonali Bank
be sacked. And the Awami League-laden board of directors, some of whom
are also alleged to have made tons of money, has claimed that they had
nothing to do with the irregularities, in fact they say they did not
even know anything about it.

They forget the simple question: if they did not know about so much
money being skimmed off from their bank then what were they doing in
the board room? Precisely this riddle also begs an answer to the
simple question: why is the finance minister angry with the Bangladesh
Bank for finally acting up just a little. And is not it strange that
even after a prima facie case has been established by the Bangladesh
Bank not one person has been detained by the government up to
yesterday?

The ravaging of the Bangladesh Railway, the destruction of highways
and byways, the murderous situation at many a government hospital, the
skimming off of the government treasury for paying subsidy to private
small power suppliers, runaway inflation (which continues even after
the Eid-ul Fitr festival), the hopeless situation at the wrecked share
market, frequent non-political disturbances at reputed educational
institutions, nagging labour trouble in the garment industry, police's
inability to prevent murders, disappearances and deaths in road
accidents and now the rampant plunder of depositors' money from even
state-owned banks and the interference in the Grameen Bank clearly
indicate that the government of the day itself has fallen into a state
of chaos and indiscipline.

It is not only a weak, intolerant and repressive government too
willing to break the heads of protesters, but it is a government
incapable of governance. It is sad.

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