Sarker Shariful Islam, Rajshahi
A probe report of the Ministry of Agriculture has revealed misappropriation of Tk 5.9 million (59 lakh) through tampering of cheques allegedly by two engineers of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA).
However, even after proving the authenticity of the allegations, Assistant Engineers Anowar Hossain and DFM Hasanul Islam were continuing their duties regularly. Earlier, a probe committee of BMDA has also detected involvement of the two engineers in cheque tampering incident for two times.
Engineer Anwar Hossain is now posted at Atrai BMDA office of Naogaon and Engineer DFM Hasanul Islam is working at Mohanpur BMDA office.
The Agriculture Ministry probe body also found involvement of two more employees with the incident-Matiur Rahman, Assistant Accountant and Khabir Uddin, Assistant Treasurer of BMDA, Godagari zone, and recommend to file case against those four accused, but for mysterious reason, BMDA authorities has not yet implemented the recommendation.
According to sources, the four employees had tampered 181 cheques of BMDA. They tampered a cheque of Tk 154 was tampered to Tk. 89,154, a Tk 450 cheque was tampered to Tk. 100,450, a Tk 621 cheque was tampered to Tk 100,621. This way, those four alleged frauds had drawn Tk. 58,12,321 through tampering of cheques during 2011-'12 and 2016-'17 fiscal year.
Though they tampered those cheques at the bank portion, at the severed client's portion of the cheques (hem) there was no change of amount. To conceal the fraud, they set ablaze at the office of Godagari zone and destroyed the files.
The incident of fraud being serious, BMDA conducted a two-time enquiry into the incident and the ministry concerned conducted the probe once.
In a 657-page probe report, four of the said employees were held responsible with the involvement of tampering of those cheques and misappropriation of so huge amount of money. The probe committees also recommend to file cases and take punitive measure against those responsible employees.
It is learnt, accused Khabir Uddin and Matiur were put under suspension in January 2017 on the allegation of those cheque tampering incident. But, no action was taken against Assistant Engineer Anowar Hossain and DFM Hasanul Islam who are still working in the offices.
Basudeve Chandra Mohanta, Audit Officer of BMDA informed, it has been proved that Khabir Uddin had set abalze at Kakonhat office of BMDA and Matiur Rahman had tampered the cheques at first and then Khabir Uddin tampered it.
Khabir Uddin and Motiur Rahman have admitted their responsibility to the probe bodies. They also claimed that two former Assistant Engineers of BMDA were also involved with this incident. Matiur Rahman sought justice complaining he has been kept suspended for last three years. He also applied to the concerned ministry to resolve the issue. He claimed, he did the work of tampering under the direction of the then Assistant Engineer but no action was taken against him for reasons unknown.
Even after such allegation, BMDA has sanctioned Taka 190,000 loan from PF fund to Khabir Uddin.
Abdur Rashid, Executive Engineer of BMDA informed, the action against the accused employees could not be taken yet as the Probe report has not yet submitted to the meeting of Board of Directors of BMDA and Khabir Uddin got the loan because he had applied for the loan before he was suspended.
