Jhenidah CS office accused of taking Tk 1cr bribes

The CS's comment to newsmen, statements of job seekers and an opposition lawmaker, and complaint by ruling party lawmakers have confounded the people.

Questions are being raised whether the CS was solely responsible for the alleged corruption.

Sources in Jhenidah civil surgeon's office said 15,556 candidates had applied for the 36 vacant posts in the health sector in the district. These included nine vacant posts of health assistant, one store keeper, two junior mechanics, two MLSSs, five gardeners, five night guards, five cooks, six sweepers and one 'dome' ( person who takes care of dead bodies before and after autopsy).

Appointment letters were issued to the 36 'qualified' jobseekers in last week of July after their viva-voce in the first week of the same month, official sources said.

This correspondent talked to some guardians of the jobseekers, who accused the CS office of taking bribe.

"My son Shahid Sheikh was an applicant for the post of a night guard. The civil surgeon demanded Tk 2 lakh for appointing him to the post. As I could not pay the money, Shahid was not appointed though I am a freedom fighter", alleged Babar Ali of Mahamaya village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila.

Badshah Mia of Pabahati village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila also alleged that Tk 3 lakh was demanded for his son's appointment. Another candidate claimed that he paid Tk 2 lakh for the job of a gardener but his money is yet to be refunded although he was not appointed.

When asked, CS Dr Goalm Hossain at first avoided making any comment. He then angrily said, "Go to MPs and ask them."

After a while, he said in a lighter voice, "I was not the only authority in appointing the employees. I just discharged my duties, higher authorities have finalised the appointments."

He declined to say anything more.

Ruling party lawmaker Master Shahidul Islam on July 27 submitted a written complaint to the parliamentary committee on the ministry of health and family welfare, alleging corruption by the CS in the appointments.

The complaint was counter-signed by Shahiduzzaman Beltu, lawmaker from Jhenidah-4 constituency and Moshiur Rahman, lawmaker from Jhenidah-2.

Moshiur Rahman is also the chairman of the parliamentary committee.

In his compliant, MP Shahidul called the CS a corrupt official and accused him of realising over Tk one crore while appointing people in the posts and demanded his dismissal from service.

But sources in Jhenidah claimed that not only the CS, but ruling party lawmakers were also involved in the whole process.

Talking to this correspondent opposition lawmaker from Jhenidah-1 Abdul Hai said, "I can not specify any ruling party lawmaker's involvement in the corruption but allegations have it that some of them in connivance with the CS took money from the jobseekers."

When contacted, lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Beltu accused the CS of bribery. He however would not rule out the probability of involvement of 'any one of the lawmakers'.

"But note that nobody from my constituency was appointed. The posts were filled up by candidates from outside my constituency", he said.

Beltu further said he was ignorant about the whole process of appointments.

On contact over cell phone, Master Shahidul Islam MP threw counter-question and asked, "How do you think that an MP can take bribe for appointing poor people in his constituency?"

"I have no comment at the moment, because written allegation has already been submitted against the CS which is now under investigation", he said.

Contacted, Moshiur Rahman said he should not make any comment before investigation. He said a parliamentary team will probe the allegation and it will record statements of the lawmakers and the civil surgeon.