The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission began probe into institutional corruption with the formation of a four-member special team to inquire into corruption in Roads and Highways department under Communications Ministry. "As per earlier decision to look into organizational corruption, the Commission has recently taken a decision to inquire into corruption in tender process, misuse of money and irregularities in Roads and Highways department under Communications Ministry," ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal, also Commission's spokesperson, told reporters yesterday.

A four-member team headed by ACC deputy director Ashraf Ali Faruq has been formed for investigation of the alleged rot in Roads and Highways, a department notorious for rampant corruption. The other three members of the special team are assistant directors M Kamruzzaman and Aziz Bhuiyan, and field officer Saifullah M Emran.

Hanif told reporters that the Commission has sent a letter to the Communications Ministry secretary for extending all kinds of assistance to the ACC special team. The assistance includes allocation of rooms, supply of files and documents, appointment of a person for liaison and requisite logistic supports.

The letter states: the team has been assigned to unravel and examine corruption created by different reasons like issuance of government orders, tender floating, irregularities in tender process, any tender floating at higher rate and misuse of money.

Replying to a query, Hanif said that for the time being, corruption of Roads and Highways would be looked into. And if the Commission wants, corruption in other places would also be probed.

To another question, he said that at the moment there is no list of corrupt employees of the Roads and Highways department, but through the inquiries a list would come out.

Meanwhile, as the anti-graft drive in the interim period delved deeper, the army-led task force has posted teams in different institutions to track down corruption suspects.