A parliamentary committee yesterday blasted Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain for selecting a blacklisted Chinese firm for repair of cracks on Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge.
The minister faced a volley of questions and enquiries from members of the House watchdog on the communications ministry as to how the firm was selected despite its black record.
“We are not satisfied with the minister's explanation on selection of the blacklisted Chinese firm for repairing the cracks on Bangabandhu Bridge,” said a member of the committee after it met at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
“Members of the committee asked him (minister) to come up at the committee's next meeting with detailed information in this regard,” he told The Daily Star wishing not to be named.
Emerging from the meeting, chief of the committee Sheikh Muzibur Rahman told journalists that the minister did not give details about the matter despite being asked to do so.
The blacklisted firm was selected by the communications ministry on September 13.
But the cabinet purchase committee on the following day cancelled the tender awarded to the blacklisted firm, and decided to invite a fresh tender for the work.
The House body also criticised the ministry for appointing Tawhidul Anwar Chowdhury acting director general of Bangladesh Railway ignoring his alleged involvement in corruption.
A probe report by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence on Tawhidul's alleged corruption, and newspaper clippings on the issue were placed at the committee meeting.
The House body proposed to form a sub-committee to investigate the alleged irregularities of the acting DG.
But Abul Hossain told the committee members that his ministry will look into the matter, and will inform the committee about it at its next meeting.
Contacted, Tawhidul said the allegations against him are totally false.