The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The parliamentary standing committee on Communication Ministry yesterday made a set of recommendations to the government including creation of a separate ministry for railways to run it with separate budget for its development and expansion.

The committee also asked the government to recover railway lands from the land grabbers including former BNP minister Mirza Abbas.

Chairman of the committee Sheikh Mujibur Rahman told reporters after a meeting at the Sangsad Bhaban that Mirza Abbas was occupying a piece of Railway land at Kamalapur which is worth over Taka 100 crore.

He said, the committee has already made communications to concerned authorities to get back the plot. He said, the committee has information that Abbas and his family members have taken possession of the plot with the backing of some railway officials. They have built multi-storied buildings on it.

He said, Mirza Abbas claimed that the plot was his ancestral property before the railway authorities had acquired it. So he has taken the unused land having claim on it as former owners.

Mujibur Rahman said, the government has no right to return acquired land as it will then open the gateway to return all government acquired land all over the country.

Meanwhile, Mirza Abbas, refuted the allegation of using his ministerial power in taking back the plot.

He said that an application on behalf of his family was filed in 1984 upon which the government had returned a small portion of the land on humanitarian ground. Abbas said the committee renewed the matter in a bid to take political revenge on him.

Committee chief Mujibur Rahman, while arguing in favour of formation of a separate ministry for the railway, said that successive governments did not take proper care of the railway . As a result, he said Railway has been incurring losses.

"An independent ministry would make it easier to help the railway to be commercially profitable. With it the customer service will also improve," he said.

An independent ministry will allow railway development plans to go straight to the planning ministry for approval. An administrative reform project of the railway financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is currently held up.

The parliamentary body also discussed the veracity of sending abroad Shahabuddin, Additional Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways, for training barely few days ahead of his retirement. Besides, he had voluntarily declared himself as corrupt to the Truth Commission.

The Ministry has been asked to explain why Shahabuddin was nominated for training in Australia, Japan, China and Malaysia.

The committee also suggested to carry out a feasibility study for handing over road and highways to private operators, bringing change in road construction pattern and introducing speed control system in vehicles.

The committee has reviewed the progress of construction of new railways to Bhanga through Faridpur, discussed several railway projects including setting up a canteen and prayer hall at airport railway station.

He said the government is contemplating handing over several roads and highways to private parties for collection of tolls. The committee recommended putting the BRTA under the traffic regulatory system, building more fly over and bypass to reduce traffic congestion in the city.

Committee members including Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Omar Farooq Chowdhury, Zillul Hakim, Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, Abu Zahid, Golam Reza and Apu Ukil also attended the meeting.