Probe faulty, minister should have resigned
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain yesterday came under fire from a parliamentary body for “faulty” probe into the Narsingdi train crash and “irregularities” in the bidding for the elevated expressway.
Meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the afternoon, the parliamentary standing committee on the communications ministry also observed that the minister or the railway chief should have resigned following the train accident that left 14 people killed and scores more injured.
The committee formed a three-member sub-committee for further probe into the deadly accident after a heated debate with Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain over findings of the probe by his ministry, said meeting sources.
Turning to the expressway tender, the committee members alleged irregularities in the selection process and asked the minister to produce all relevant documents before it.
Abul Hossain at first declined to come up with the papers relating to the selection process. But he grudgingly agreed as the committee members and chairman mounted pressure on him, Golam Maula Rony, Awami league lawmaker and member of the committee, told The Daily Star last night.
The communications ministry on December 13 selected Italian-Thai Development Company Ltd (ITDCL) as technically responsive bidder for the expressway.
Earlier, on December 8, 14 people were killed and over 100 hurt when Chittagong-bound intercity Mahanagar Godhuli and Dhaka-bound Chattola Express collided head-on near Narsingdi railway station.
In its report, a four-member probe committee headed by a high official of the communications ministry said Chattola's driver Rafiq Uddin was responsible for the collision. It said the train had moved onto a wrong track, as Rafiq fell unconscious after taking tea at a station en route.
During discussion on the findings yesterday, the parliamentary committee asked the minister if the probe body had any medical test done to conclude that the driver had been drugged unconscious.
The minister said there was no use of any test as a considerable time had already elapsed since the accident.
Unconvinced, the committee formed a three member sub-committee headed by Golam Maula Rony to probe further and report back within a month. They also said those who have been sacked over the accident were low-grade employees; the high-ups tried to get away by blaming a couple of poor railway staff.
Citing examples of countries including neighbouring India, the committee members said ministers and high officials there stand down whenever there is a major accident or disaster. But in our country the blame is always placed on the low-level employees.
The committee cautioned the minister not to bring up the prime minister's name every time he is enquired about any project. Such tendency, it noted, might harm Sheikh Hasina's image, Rony told The Daily Star.
Comments