The New Nation - Internet Edition

Six officials of the Department of Cooperatives (DoC) have sent a rejoinder following a report headlined, "Embezzling Tk 3.11cr of Tolarbagh Cooperative Society: Action yet to be taken against 6 DoC officials" published in the May 6, 2008 issue of The New Nation mentioning their alleged involvement in misappropriation of the amount in connivance with three former executives of Tolarbagh Samabaya Samity at Mirpur 1 in the city.

These six officials are: Kazi Mesbah Uddin Ahmed (Assistant Registrar, DoC), Abdul Aziz Howlader (Inspector, District Cooperative Office, Dhaka), Abu Zafar Mia (Metro, Thana Cooperative Officer, Mirpur, Dhaka), Md Alauddin Mia, Inspector, District Cooperative Office, Dhaka, Md Harun-ar-Rashid, Inspector, District Cooperative Office, Dhaka and Md Jahangir Alam, former Assistant Inspector, Metro, Thana Cooperative Office, Mirpur, Dhaka.]

In their rejoinder, they said that the report claiming their involvement in misappropriation of the amount was 'false, fabricated and baseless."

They said they were not involved in misappropriation of the amount in any way. We regret for it.

The New Nation carried the report on the basis of an inquiry report conducted by the Deputy Registrar (Credit) of Department of Cooperatives at Agargaon in the city. The investigation was carried out by the Deputy Registrar (Credit) at the directive of former DoC Registrar Mosharraf Hossain, who was later transferred to the Planning Commission. During the investigation, the Deputy Registrar (Credit) himself detected corruption by six of his colleagues for their alleged involvement in misappropriating the fund of Tolarbagh Samabaya Samity at Tolarbagh, Mirpur. Subsequently, he submitted the inquiry report to the Registrar of the DoC and He also recommended necessary actions on the basis of his findings.

The New Nation reporter was neither involved in preparing the report nor he had any malicious intention against any official or employee of DoC. It just published the report on the basis of the inquiry report by DoC. If any individual is affected, we regret for it.

DMP to set up 8

new police stations

UNB, Dhaka

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is going to set up eight new police stations within the next 2-3 months in a bid to improve the law and order situation of this densely populated city.

The new police stations will be set up in crime-prone Darus Salam, Bangshal, Kalabagan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Chawkbazar, Gendaria, Rampura and Kadamtoli (Basabu) areas of the city. With these new police stations, the number of DMP's police stations will rise to 41 as the sprawling city has already got 33 police stations.

"We're looking for private places on rent for setting up the police stations as we didn't find government land for the police stations," DMP Commissioner Nayem Ahmed told reporters after attending a monthly crime review meeting at Razarbagh Police Lines yesterday afternoon.

"We do hope that the DMP will be able to start launching the new police stations within the next 2-3 months and that will definitely help reduce criminal activities in the city," he said.

The DMP Commissioner said they have selected the areas mentioned earlier for setting up the police stations, as those are known as the most crime-prone areas of the city.