Canada wants to quiz Morshed, Mahmudur
Canada has requested the Anti-Corruption Commission to help it interrogate former foreign minister M Morshed Khan and ex-energy adviser Mahmudur Rahman over allegations of graft in awarding an energy deal to Canadian oil company Niko.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) made the request as part of their investigation into the allegations against former Canadian senator Mac Herb of taking undue facilities from Niko to lobby for a Niko-Bapex (Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company) deal in 2003.
Through a Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) sent to the attorney general, the Canadian authorities asked the ACC to play the role of a facilitator and arrange everything for them to interrogate former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, Morshed Khan and Mahmudur Rahman, said ACC Commissioner Shahabuddin.
Of the three BNP leaders, Saifur Rahman died in 2009 and Mahmudur Rahman is now behind bars.
A top ACC official said the assistance request was sent in January, but the ACC gave a positive response to Attorney General Mahbubey Alam around one and a half months ago.
The anti-graft watchdog asked the attorney general to take the matter forward, Shahabuddin told The Daily Star.
Mahbubey Alam yesterday said he had received the ACC's reply and already held a meeting with ACC lawyers in this regard.
"The BNP leaders may not respond to our call for interrogation and so we have discussed seeking the court's permission.
"We will hold further meetings in this regard. After making a decision, we will convey it to the Canadian authorities," the attorney general said.
Responding to a query, he said the Canadian police were carrying out an independent investigation in their country and the ACC had no involvement in that but it would respond to the request.
The Canadian authorities had received allegations that Mac Herb as a senator used his influence to ensure that Niko got a gas exploration and extraction deal in Bangladesh, Shahabuddin said.
Asked if any case had been filed against Herb over the issue, he said, "We do not know whether the Canadian police filed any case against him."
The ACC filed a graft case in 2008 in connection with the Niko-Bapex deal and submitted a charge sheet that year, citing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as the prime accused.
Khaleda held the energy minister's portfolio in 2003 when Niko got the job. The case is now under trial.
Niko was disqualified by the government in the second round block bidding for oil and gas exploration in 1997.
But around six years later, the controversial deal was signed although Petrobangla experts had repeatedly warned of a violation of the national policy and a compromising of national interests.
Niko was awarded gas exploration and extraction work at an unused gas field, which was mentioned in the deal as a marginal or previously used gas field.
Any oil company seeking permission to explore an unused field must win the job through competitive bidding.
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