Stand released!
The managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) in Dinajpur has been stand released for allegedly forcing the officials to take oath holding religious scriptures that they would not to speak about his corruption allegations.
Petrobangla, the parent organisation of BCMCL, in an office order issued on Thursday stand-released SM Nurul Aurangajeb and appointed Habib Uddin Ahmed as the MD of the company.
The letter was signed by Mostafa Kamal, director (admin) of Petrobangla.
BCMCL officials said there were many allegations of corruption against Aurangajeb.
Habib Uddin, general manager (marketing), would take charge of the office on Sunday, Shafirul Alam, general manager (admin) of BCMCL, told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday.
BCMCL officials on January 19 sent a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, stating corruption and nepotism by Aurangajeb. They also demanded his immediate withdrawal.
On January 22 and 23, Aurangajeb forced more than 100 officials at coalmine complex to take oath holding religious scriptures like the holy Quran and the Gita, asking them not to speak against him, officials alleged.
The company has nearly 150 officials.
A high official seeking anonymity said, “He [Aurangajeb] along with two Muslim priests went to the officials' rooms on Sunday [January 22] and forced us to swear. The next day, he asked the DGMs to go to a room and forced them to swear as well.”
The action triggered widespread protest among the officials and staff. “The MD hurt religious sentiments,” the official added.
The letter sent to the PM was signed by a deputy general manager on behalf of the officials. It said as the MD took Tk 23 lakh from the staff by threatening them that he would not sign the profit-sharing bonus files.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the letter.
As per the company's rule, officials would get five percent of its annual profit, but the MD was not entitled to the profit bonus.
Another allegation against Aurangajeb was that he had been using three cars against the official allocation of one.
He was appointed as the MD of the country's lone coal producing company in October last year.
Officials also alleged that after being appointed, Aurangajeb reshuffled some officials, which disrupted smooth operation. He allegedly removed Habib Uddin from his position and put him in the marketing department. Deputy General Manager (mining operation) KM Zafar Sadiq was made deputy general manager of marketing.
Two managers of mining operation -- Mamunur Rashid and Yunus Ali -- were transferred to the surface operation department. Besides, Masudur Rahman Howladar, manager (administration), was shifted to store operation.
Contacted, Aurangajeb admitted that oath-taking incidents took place on January 22 and 23. He claimed he asked officials to take oath as there were allegations against some of them and that the oath would deter those officials from indulging in corruption.
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