JS body brings graft charge against BIWTC

A parliamentary standing committee has levelled allegation of corruption against Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) in the construction of three passenger vessels by amending tender at the last moment.

The parliamentary standing committee on the shipping ministry at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday asked the shipping ministry to adjourn the entire tender process for a month until the committee resolves the issue.

Some Tk 20 to 22 crore will be spent on building the vessels.

The committee asked the ministry to stop toll collection in the waterways and take steps to hold back vessel owners from increasing the fare before Eid.

Ministry officials told the meeting that the ministry will sit with its different organisations in a bid to stop toll collection and any increase in the fare.

The committee also asked the ministry to come up with all documents at its December 6 meeting to clarify the amendment to the tender for building three 900-passenger capacity vessels.

"Allegation has been raised that the BIWTC amended its tender at the last moment and that's why the committee wants to review the tender process,'' committee Chairman Golam Mohammad Siraj told newspersons after the meeting.

He said the shipping minister also agreed with the committee on a review of the whole tender process.

Meeting sources said Abul Hossain Khan, a ruling BNP lawmaker and committee member, raised the allegation of corruption in the tender process. He said the BIWTC authorities made the amendment just four days before the deadline for dropping bids ended.

The authorities did it to provide benefits for a special quarter, he alleged.

In an application to the shipping ministry and others concerned, Dhaka Dockyard and Engineering Works alleged that the last to drop tender was on November 5, but on October 30 the BIWTC authorities inserted a new condition for bidding.

The association alleged that the change was made in order to provide facility for a special section, prompting companies with technical know-how and experience in vessel-building to stay off the bidding process.

Golam Mohammad Siraj chaired the meeting, while the committee members and officials concerned were present.