MPs to probe fraud in crests
A parliamentary body today formed a three-member sub-committee to find out people involved in the making and purchase of crests using substandard materials that were awarded to foreign friends for their contribution to Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Headed by ruling Awami League lawmaker Afsarul Amin, the enquiry committee has been asked to submit its report within a month recommending nature of punishment to the perpetrators.
The parliamentary standing committee on the liberation war affairs came up with the decision following revelation of the scandalous act.
“We have taken the scandalous incident seriously. The committee has asked the sub-committee to identify perpetrators whoever s/he is,” AB Tajul Islam, chief of the parliamentary standing committee told The Daily Star emerging from the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
He added that the perpetrators involved in the process “that have made us hang our heads in shame” deserve only exemplary punishment, not mercy.
According to media reports, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has found only around 2.36 grams of gold in place of the specified 11.64 grams and only an alloy of base metals instead of the supposed 350 grams of silver in each of the crests.
Tajul, also a ruling Awami League lawmaker, said the parliamentary watchdog has asked the ministry to provide all sorts of assistance to the sub-committee to identify under whose watch this mind-boggling incident took place.
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