The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) has summoned 17 high officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) next week for their alleged involvement in corruption.

Justice Habibur Rahman Khan, Chairman of TAC, stated this at the Commission's regular weekly press briefing in the capital yesterday.

He also informed that more such notices would be issued to some other officials very soon.

"Under provision of 28(6) of the commission ordinance, TAC can summon any clemency seeker during hearing. If they refuse to appear before the TAC, We will take legal action against them by referring them to courts," he noted.

Asked if the summoned officials were found involved in corruption, TAC chairman said they would ask the concerned officials to take the advantage of the Commission by voluntarily disclosing their ill-gotten wealth.

Justice Khan informed that so far 313 individuals have applied to the Commission for clemency in exchange for their ill-gotten wealth. Of them, 253 are government servants, 27 are wives of some of them, 24 businessmen and nine belong to other professions.

Of the applicants, 17 individuals have applied directly, 167 through the National Coordination Committee on serious crime and corruption, 126 through the Anti-Corruption Commission and three through courts, Justice Habibur Rahman informed.

He also said hearing of 150 clemency seekers has already been completed and they have pledged to pay about Tk 20 crore. Of them, Tk 10.17 crore has already been deposited to the government Treasury.

TAC member Maj Gen (retd) Manjur Rashid dismissed the allegation of creating panic by summoning government high officials.

He said, "During hearing, clemency seekers told us that they are not only the ones who took money, there are also others involved in it."

"We have noticed huge corruption in different offices. There is systemic percentage system in those offices. Employees and officials used to take monthly honorarium ranging from Tk 15,000-20,000 to one lakh," He pointed out.

Asif Ali, another TAC member, said the TAC would ask the government to provide guidance in the form of counselling or behavioural treatment for officials of graft-ridden bodies organisations in a bid to prevent institutional corruption.

He said during hearing of the clemency seekers, the TAC members tried to find out the causes of corruption and found that the officials and others indulged in corruption due to social reasons, greed, systems etc.

He also suggested psychiatric counselling in each government offices to eliminate corruption.

"It's not possible to stop corruption by only striking people on the head," he observed.