Tuesday, June 28, 2011

আদালতে ৯৪ লাখ ৯৯ হাজার কানাডীয় ডলার জরিমানা মোশাররফকে ঘুষ দিয়ে কানাডায় দণ্ডিত নাইকো


আদালতে ৯৪ লাখ ৯৯ হাজার কানাডীয় ডলার জরিমানা
মোশাররফকে ঘুষ দিয়ে কানাডায় দণ্ডিত নাইকো
সাবেক বিএনপি সরকারের জ্বালানি প্রতিমন্ত্রী এ কে এম মোশাররফ হোসেনকে ২০০৫ সালে একটি দামি গাড়ি ও ভ্রমণব্যয়ের পাঁচ হাজার ডলার ঘুষ দেওয়ায় স্বদেশে দণ্ডিত হয়েছে কানাডীয় তেল-গ্যাস অনুসন্ধান কোম্পানি নাইকো রিসোর্সেস। বাণিজ্যিক স্বার্থে বিদেশে ঘুষ দেওয়া প্রতিরোধসংক্রান্ত কানাডার আইনে সে দেশের একটি আদালতে ২০০৯ সাল থেকে এ মামলা চলছিল। নাইকো দোষ স্বীকার করায় গত শুক্রবার ওই আদালত দণ্ড হিসেবে ৯৪ লাখ ৯৯ হাজার কানাডীয় ডলার (৯৭ লাখ ৫০ হাজার ৭৯৪ মার্কিন ডলার) জরিমানার আদেশ দেন। ৩০ দিনের মধ্যে এ জরিমানা পরিশোধ করতে হবে।ইন্টারনেটে কানাডীয় ও বিভিন্ন আন্তর্জাতিক সংবাদমাধ্যম থেকে পাওয়া খবরে জানা যায়, আদালত আগামী তিন বছর নাইকোর কর্মকাণ্ড পর্যবেক্ষণ করবেন বলেও আদেশে বলা হয়েছে। তবে সাবেক জ্বালানি প্রতিমন্ত্রী এ কে এম মোশাররফ হোসেন আগের মতোই গতকালও অভিযোগ অস্বীকার করেছেন।
গতকাল শনিবার মোশাররফ হোসেন গণমাধ্যমকে বলেন, ‘আমি কোনো অন্যায় করিনি। কানাডার আদালতে মামলার ব্যাপারেও আমি কিছু জানি না। নাইকোকে সুবিধা দেওয়ার অভিযোগে তো বর্তমান ও সাবেক দুই প্রধানমন্ত্রীসহ অনেকের বিরুদ্ধে বিগত তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের আমলে মামলা হয়েছিল। তাতে তো তাঁরা দোষী বলে প্রমাণ হয় না।’ ২০০৫ সালের জানুয়ারি মাসে ছাতকের টেংরাটিলা গ্যাসক্ষেত্রে অগ্নিকাণ্ডের পর, বাপেক্সের মাধ্যমে মোশাররফ হোসেনের জন্য তখনকার দামে প্রায় ৮৫ লাখ টাকার একটি টয়োটা ল্যান্ড ক্রুজার সিগনাস (২০০৫ মডেল) গাড়ি পাঠায় নাইকো। গাড়িটি ২৩ মে জ্বালানি প্রতিমন্ত্রীর বাসায় আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে গ্রহণ করা হয়।প্রতিমন্ত্রীর পক্ষে গাড়িটি গ্রহণ করার সময় এ-সংক্রান্ত নাইকোর দাপ্তরিক নথিতে লেখা হয়, ‘মাননীয় প্রতিমন্ত্রী মহোদয়ের বাসভবনে প্রতিমন্ত্রীর উপস্থিতিতে পাশে বর্ণিত জিনিসপত্র নাইকোর প্রতিনিধির নিকট হতে বুঝিয়া পাইলাম’। গাড়ি ছাড়াও নথিতে পাশে বর্ণিত জিনিসপত্র হচ্ছে, গাড়ির অস্থায়ী ব্লু বুক,ফিটনেস সার্টিফিকেট, মূল বিমা সার্টিফিকেট, টুলবক্স, একটি অতিরিক্ত চাকা, একটি বিকল্প চাবি,অপারেটরস ম্যানুয়াল প্রভৃতি।এ ব্যাপারে ২০০৫ সালের ১৪ জুন প্রথম আলোতে অনুসন্ধানী প্রতিবেদন প্রকাশিত হয়। তখন মোশাররফ হোসেন প্রতিমন্ত্রীর পদ ছাড়তে বাধ্য হন। খবরটি প্রকাশের সময় প্রতিমন্ত্রী কানাডা ও আমেরিকা সফরে ছিলেন। ওই সফরের ব্যয়ভারও নাইকো বহন করেছে বলে কানাডীয় আদালতে বলা হয়েছে। কিন্তু তখন নাইকোর পক্ষ থেকে ঘুষ দেওয়ার কথা অস্বীকার করে বলা হয়েছিল, যৌথ অংশীদার হিসেবে বাপেক্সকে গাড়িটি দেওয়া হয়েছে। শুধু তাই নয়, প্রথম আলোর খবরের প্রতিবাদ পাঠিয়েছিল নাইকো। কানাডার গণমাধ্যমের কাছেও নাইকোর তৎকালীন শীর্ষ কর্মকর্তা ঘুষ দেওয়ার কথা অস্বীকার করেছিলেন।প্রতিমন্ত্রী সফর থেকে ১৮ জুন (২০০৫) শনিবার ভোরে দেশে ফিরে ওই দিন সকালে সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, তাঁর ও সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে ষড়যন্ত্র হচ্ছে। ঘুষ নেওয়ার মিথ্যা অভিযোগ তুলে সরকারকে বিব্রত করার চেষ্টা হচ্ছে। তিনি কোনো অন্যায় করেননি। এরপর ওই দিন সন্ধ্যায়ই তিনি ব্যক্তিগত কারণ দেখিয়ে রাষ্ট্রপতির কাছে পদত্যাগপত্র জমা দেন। অবিলম্বে তা গৃহীতও হয়।ওই বছরই নাইকো গাড়িটি ফিরিয়ে নেয়। ফলে তখনই প্রমাণ হয়ে যায়, গাড়িটি বাপেক্সকে দেওয়া হয়নি। যৌথ অংশীদার হিসেবে বাপেক্সের ব্যবহারের জন্য দিলে সেটি আর ফিরিয়ে নেওয়া হতো না। তা ছাড়া টেংরাটিলা, ফেনী ও কামতা গ্যাসক্ষেত্রের যৌথ অংশীদারি চুক্তির কোনো শর্তেই বাপেক্সকে নাইকোর গাড়ি দিতে হবে এমন শর্ত ছিল না।এ প্রেক্ষাপটে কানাডীয় আদালতের রায়ের পর সে দেশের ট্রান্সপারেন্সি ইন্টারন্যাশনালের প্রেসিডেন্ট জেমস কট্জ গণমাধ্যমকে বলেন, আদালতের এ রায়ের পর কোম্পানিগুলো এখন আর এমনটি ভাববে না যে, অপরাধ করেও পার পাওয়া যাবে।আদালতে নাইকোর পক্ষের আইনজীবী বলেন, নাইকোর মতো কোম্পানির পক্ষে প্রায় ৯৫ লাখ ডলার জরিমানা দেওয়া কোনো বড় বিষয় নয়। তবে আদালতের দণ্ডাদেশ কোম্পানিটির ভাবমূর্তির ওপর এক বড় আঘাত।এদিকে, টেংরাটিলা বিস্ফোরণের জন্য নাইকোর কাছে দাবি করা ক্ষতিপূরণের বিষয়টি এখন আন্তর্জাতিক আদালতে আছে। নাইকো যখন ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত গ্যাস কাঠামোর জন্য ক্ষতিপূরণ দিতে গড়িমসি করছিল, তখন বিগত সরকারের আমলে পরিবেশ আইনবিদ সমিতি (বেলা) হাইকোর্টে একটি রিট মামলা দায়ের করেছিল। সেই মামলার রায়ে আদালত সরকারকে বলেছিলেন, ক্ষতিপূরণ না দেওয়া পর্যন্ত নাইকোকে ফেনী ক্ষেত্র তোলা ও সরবরাহ করা গ্যাসের দাম পরিশোধ করা যাবে না।এরপর নাইকো ফেনী থেকে গ্যাস সরবরাহ করলেও দাম পরিশোধ করা হচ্ছিল না। একপর্যায়ে তারা গ্যাস সরবরাহ বন্ধ করে দেয়। সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে চেষ্টা চলে ক্ষতিপূরণ আদায় ও গ্যাস সরবরাহ শুরু করার ব্যাপারে মতৈক্যে পৌঁছার। কিন্তু তা হচ্ছিল না। এরপর নাইকো বিষয়টি নিয়ে আন্তর্জাতিক আদালতের দ্বারস্থ হয়েছে।
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Millionaire BNP Ministers Summary

Millionaire BNP Ministers Summary: Corruption is the number one problem for Bangladesh.M
Millionaire BNP Ministers Summary: Corruption is the number one problem for Bangladesh. Transparency International in its annual report placed Bangladesh

Millionaire BNP Ministers
Summary: Corruption is the number one problem for Bangladesh. Transparency International in its annual report placed Bangladesh at the top of the list of most corrupt nations in the world. Certainly, it makes the politicians in Bangladesh, especially those in power, extremely uncomfortable and worried. It is apprehended that in the coming report of Transparency International, Bangladesh is going to be placed once again at the top. Although the ruling alliance in the country are making frantic bids in cleansing the image of Bangladesh, it is well understood that, international community are yet to be convinced to the fact that, Begum Khaleda Zia’s government is doing something in eliminating corruption from different section in the country. Only recently, an intelligence agency in the country identified 11 mid ranking officials with National Board of Revenue, who own 15 luxurious villas in countries port city of Chittagong, which costs US$ 2.5 million. It is important to mention here that, monthly salary of these officials is less than US$ 400 per month! Police and Customs (revenue) are the most corrupt departments in Bangladesh. Almost all the officers, on their retirement, emerge as multi-millionaire. They acquire wealth and properties in their own name of in the names of their spouses. It is almost an open secret in the country. Government also knows these facts, but is unable to take any action.
In recent days, names of some of the members of the BNP’s cabinet in Bangladesh come as the worst corrupts. They minted money like wild gambling. Sixty members of parliament rose complaint against a particular minister, while the Prime Minister Khaleda Zia did not take any action against him. It is also learnt that, many of the family members of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia are becoming fabulously rich, by using state power. The most talked about corrupt figure in Bangladesh is Tareq Rahman, eldest son of the Prime Minister. TAREQ BECAME BILLIONAIRE JUST IN FEW YEARS, WHILE MANY OF HIS FRIENDS, WHO WERE PARTNERS IN HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITIES OR IN THE ADDICTION OF PHENSIDYL ALSO BECAME VERY RICH UNDER THE DIRECT PATRONIZATION OF THE SON OF PM BEGUM KHALEDA ZIA.
Tareq has established Hawa Bhaban, which is although considered as one of the offices of the ruling party. There are solid evidences of this office’s involvement in interfering in almost all the business and contracts in the country. Hawa Bhaban palls are considered as the most influential figures in Bangladesh. One of the Hawa Bhaban palls is Giasuddin Mamun, who is tareq’s closest friend too. Hailing from an extreme poor family in the southern part of Bangladesh, Mamun is today one of the richest men in Bangladesh through various corruption, smuggling and many other forms of illegal activities.
Surprisingly one of the assistant press secretaries of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Touhidul Islam alias Ashik Islam is simultaneously working in the PMO as well in Hawa Bhaban as its spokesman. Moreover, this man is also involved with Tareq’s private television channel, Channel One. There are numerous allegations on Ashik’s involvement in a number of financial irregularities as well of misappropriating state money with various excuses, government did not take any action against this man, as he is considered to be one of the closest aides of Tareq Rahman. In the PMO too, Ashik is known as an womanizer, alcoholic, bribe taker and blackmailer. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was notified several times about this man’s illegal activities by country’s intelligence agencies. But, she could not take any action against Ashik, as Tareq always stood behind him with fullest support.
Khaleda’a own brother, Sayeed Iskander, who is a sacked major of Bangladesh army, also turned into multi-millionaire by using the influence of his sister.
Positions

why these criminals should not to be arrested?
the criminals should be punished
the corruption not to be repeated in bangladesh

US, UK seek help to recover kickbacks : Tareq Koko and Mamun and babar nama
by Mokthel Hossain Mukthi on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 12:37pm
US, UK seek help to recover kickbacks
$200m stashed in overseas banks by Koko, ministers of 4-party government
Staff Correspondent
The US and UK yesterday sought Bangladesh's assistance in their bid to recover around $200 million allegedly paid in kickbacks to former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Arafat Rahman Koko and some ministers of the last BNP-led government.
A delegation comprising the United States justice department's deputy chief Linda M Samuel, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Deborah Heprevotte and UK Institute of Management consultant Ferdous Ahmed made the request for help at a meeting with Law Minister Shafique Ahmed at his secretariat office.
They handed him a list of the persons suspected of receiving the sums during the immediate past four-party alliance rule.
Shafique last night told The Daily Star, “We have assured the delegation of help in getting back the money."
Earlier, after meeting the US and UK officials, he told reporters that the former prime minister's [Khaleda Zia] son Arafat Rahman Koko and a dozen ministers and leaders of four-party are alleged to have received $200 million in bribe for awarding work to foreign companies.
The money is currently deposited in banks across 20 countries including Singapore, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, he added.
He said law and finance ministries, Attorney General's Office and Bangladesh Bank will have to work together to assist in retrieval of the alleged bribery proceeds.
Attorney General Salah Uddin Ahmad and ACC counsel Anisul Huq were present at the meeting.
The delegation has been in the city for over a week. They have had several meetings with local officials concerned.
Contacted, a spokesman of the US embassy in Dhaka said their justice department officials are here to follow up the money recovery case and also widen the scope of US-Bangladesh judicial cooperation.
The US government on Thursday filed a forfeiture action against accounts holding the alleged bribes paid to Koko and others.
On December 18 last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) disclosed that Koko has around Tk 11.43 crore stashed in a Singapore bank
Koko's parole cancelled
Asked to return home by Aug 31
Unb, Dhaka
Arafat Rahman Koko who had been on parole for treatment in Bangkok was asked to return home by August 31 and surrender before the court, official sources said yesterday.
Koko, the youngest son of BNP Chairperson and ex-premier Khaleda Zia, is facing a number of corruption cases. He was arrested during the previous caretaker government.
Later, he got parole and left for Bangkok on July 19, 2008 for better treatment as he had been suffering from respiratory problems.
His lawyer barrister Mahbubu Uddin Khokon MP told UNB yesterday night that they received a letter from the Home Ministry at about 7:00pm asking Koko to return by August 31 and surrender before court.
Responding to the Home Ministry's letter Khokon said his client Koko's physical condition is so bad that interruption to his treatment only lead to his death.
He said hospitals in Bangkok where Koko has been receiving treatment have been sending reports to the Bangladesh government every month stating his health condition. Last week, Bangladesh mission officials at Bangkok visited Koko to enquire about his health condition.
“His health condition is very bad. If necessary the government can form an inquiry team to assess his health,” Khokon said.
In reply to a question, he said a formal request will be made to the government soon to cancel the government's decision for bringing him back.
Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told the agency an ailing person has constitutional right to live. He said the present Prime Minister who was also on parole for her treatment cannot cancel Koko's parole.
“There shouldn't be double standards of law. This is politically motivated,” Maruf said
Front Page

what of the character of the mother, Khaleda Zia, who looked the other way while her sons were robbing the country blind, what about her responsibility to the electorate that made her prime minister? And why should we give Tariq Rahman special treatment because his mother brought him up as a spoilt brat? If the army’s hierarchy has any false sense of loyalty they should collectively take a walk every morning among the poor, hungry, shelterless of Bangladesh and look at the sheer helplessness in their desolate eyes. If they do not discover to whom their loyalty must be given, they are either blind or not true to the oath of allegiance they took. If the military hierarchy makes a political deal with the corrupt, whoever they may be, there is no hope for Bangladesh.

If someone robs a house you put him in jail for a few years, white-collar criminals who take advantage of their office and/or connections must go to jail many more years.Bangladesh is at a peculiar crossroads in its nationhood, whether to carry out effective accountability before returning to full democracy or let public pressure hasten the renewal of political activity and allow the corrupt to further corrupt an already corrupted system. It would mean disaster; it will affect the survival of tens of millions. Given the temptations inherent and the exhortations of the motivated, the army’s hierarchy has done well in staying within the constitution and instead of acquiring direct power supporting civilian authority.

The Bangladesh Army chief, Lieutenant-General Moeen Ahmad, has stayed true to his word in not getting carried away by the opportunity to ride into town publicly as the country’s saviour. He must remain careful in not saying or writing anything that may give any inclination of political ambition in the future. Vested interest will not spare any opportunity to misconstrue good intention and undercut the credibility of the army’s intention and role behind the scenes because that will erode its effectiveness. It is of the utmost importance that the army’s reputation (and his) is not tainted by hint of personal ambition, except solely and wholly the well-being and future prosperity of Bangladesh.

Tariq Rahman’s case makes for a crossroads for accountability; if Ziaur Rahman’s sons are shown any leniency then the whole process of accountability will be compromised. The military hierarchy will then have no business holding anyone in Bangladesh accountable. Tariq Rahman and Arafat Rahman are acid tests for the Bangladesh Army. Fail to make them accountable and you have failed your uniform and your country. …..

More Confession
Babar cut $10m Warid deal for Koko
Staff Correspondent

Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar spilled more beans as he told investigators yesterday that he had negotiated a $10 million fast-track frequency allocation deal for Warid Telecom and the booty was shared by Arafat Rahman Koko and former BNP MP Ali Asgar Lobi.

Of the amount, $9 million was given to former prime minister Khaleda Zia's younger son Koko and $1 million to detained BNP leader Lobi who had close links with detained BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and his Hawa Bhaban.

Babar also revealed during interrogation that Koko and former finance minister Saifur Rahman's son Tony took commission from a Chinese company in the name of giving it a contract for supplying telecommunications equipment. He, however, denied his involvement in the deal.

On the controversial purchase of 1,970 vehicles involving Tk 121 crore from the government coffer and a huge counterpart fund from a donor agency, he told the investigators that he did not go through the documents before signing the deal.

"It was my mistake. I even did not go through the file before signing it," Babar was quoted to have said during interrogation.

The former state minister claimed that he had no option but to approve the controversial vehicle purchase for various law enforcement departments "under pressure from the high-ups". Pacific Motors owned by former foreign minister M Morshed Khan was the prime beneficiary of the purchase proposal.

Babar, who is now on a four-day police remand, said BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman was the main backer of Pacific Motors.

The government decided to procure the 1,970 cars ahead of the Saarc summit in the capital in 2005.

The police headquarters floated a tender in which 16 importers participated. But at the last moment, the authorities changed the conditions of bidding through a circular in such a way that allowed only two importers to participate. That prompted the other bidders to lodge complaints with the government alleging corruption in the bidding process, but that did not work.

Sources said the former state minister also confessed that an official of the Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore used to look after his business there.

Sources said the former state minister gave the investigators information, which they later found to be false. Babar gave the false information to save himself, the sources added.

Babar also confessed to owning a lot of plots and flats in the names of his relatives.

Meanwhile, Tk 20 crore, which Babar took as bribe from Bashundhara Group, was deposited in the central bank's government exchequer on Wednesday in nine cheques and pay orders.

A Bashundhara Group director told the joint forces that Babar took the money in exchange for not implicating Bashundhara Group owner Ahmed Akbar Sobhan's son Shafiat Sobhan in the killing of another director of the conglomerate Humayun Kabir Sabbir.

The former state minister asked the Bashundhara men to deliver the money to Prime Bank Director Qazi Saleemul Huq who was supposed to return the money to Babar at a later time, sources said.

After receiving the bribe, Babar allegedly instructed the police not to proceed with the case and the Bashundhara director's murder still remains unsolved. He also allegedly let Sobhan's son Shafiat fly out of the country.

Bashundhara Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan is on the Anti-Corruption Commission list of graft suspects. He escaped to London soon after the anti-graft drive began and has been hiding abroad since then.
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