Submit probe report on 10 agencies by July 18

The High Court yesterday sought a probe report from the inter-ministerial committee concerned on the monopoly of 10 recruiting agencies, engaged in labour recruitment from Bangladesh to Malaysia.

The committee, which was formed as per an HC order, has been asked to submit the report by July 18.

The court also rejected an application filed by Anti-Corruption Commission, seeking its directive on the government to remove its representative’s name from the committee.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order while hearing a writ petition.

Barrister Rashna Imam, a lawyer for the petitioners, told The Daily Star that the government formed the nine-member committee, including an ACC representative, on February 10 to investigate irregularities and corruption of 10 recruitment agencies.

ACC recently filed an application with the HC, seeking its order on the government to exclude its representative from the committee. Following the HC order, ACC will be involved in the investigation, she said.

The HC on October 29 last year directed the government to form the committee and submit the report in six months.

The court came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by 10 recruitment agencies, which contested the arbitrary selection of the syndicate of 10 agencies that the petitioners claimed have deprived over a thousand competent government-approved agencies of their fundamental right to run a lawful trade guaranteed under article 40 of the constitution. 

Barrister Akhtar Imam appeared for the petitioner while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for ACC.