ACC to probe subpar crest scam
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to probe the alleged irregularities in making and purchasing of subpar shields awarded to foreign friends and organisations for contributions to the country's Liberation War of 1971, the ACC chief said today.
ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman disclosed it during the commission’s regular meeting at its Segunbagicha office in the capital.
During 2011 to 2013, the government honoured 338 foreign individuals and organisations with crests for their contributions to the Liberation War. The crests were given in three categories.
The scandal triggered huge outcry, after the media reported that the BSTI in 2012 found each crest had only 2.363 grams of gold and 466.237 grams of brass. Each of those was supposed to contain 22.5 grams of gold and 339 grams of silver.
This forced the government to form a probe body that found the media reports to be true.
In its report, the committee said the government was robbed of around Tk 7.04 crore through the forgery. It held former state minister for Liberation War affairs ministry AB Tajul Islam and 12 others of his ministry responsible.
While addressing the media at Gono Bhaban earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina questioned the outcry about the making and purchasing of the shields.
"They are questioning the quantity of gold [in the shields]… . I think this is to bring it [the initiative to honour foreign friends] into question. Just like the Jamaat does not support our independence… . This is similar," she said.
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