<i>Smile, wryly</i>

Former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, who claims himself as a clean person, has been the centre focus of the World Bank's graft allegation in the Padma bridge project.
The WB had supplied the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with information about Abul's involvement in the corruption conspiracy to ensure that Canadian company SNC Lavalin got the $50 million supervision job of the Padma bridge construction.
ACC sources earlier told The Daily Star that as per a diary note of Ramesh Saha, an official of Lavalin who had been arrested by the Canadian police for corrupt practices in the project, Abul Hossain's name was mentioned as the recipient of 4 percent out of 10 percent bribe from the sum fixed for the bridge supervision work.
The 10 percent is equivalent to Tk 38 crore.
The ACC in its enquiry mentioned that it could not find any direct link of monetary transaction with Abul Hossain. But the World Bank has filed written complaint against him. Those who were quizzed by the ACC, none directly named Abul Hossain. They gave indication of his involvement. So, if he is to be made accused, more solid evidence will be needed.
While the ACC did not file any case against Abul Hossain, it however mentioned in its report that as the minister could not shrug off the responsibility of the corruption conspiracy.
As for the role of former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, the ACC said he used to visit the bridges division regularly and had introduced two officials of Lavalin to Syed Abul Hossain.
Abul Hossain claimed that Chowdhury had lobbied in favour of Lavalin. But there was no documentary evidence. Ramesh's diary also makes a mention of Chowdhury.
On July 23, Abul Hossain resigned from the cabinet after negotiations with the WB on reviving its cancelled loan for the bridge. When the WB first raised allegation against Hossain in September 2011, it asked the government for his removal in order to move ahead with the loan.
It was the second time he had resigned as a minister. He was forced to resign as state minister for LGRD ministry in August 1997 over a controversy for using a private passport instead of a diplomatic book.
Abul's family company Sahco had also been at the centre of controversy since the company as a local agent of various power companies had secured a number of power deals. But invariably in almost all the cases, the other bidders that had not been represented by Sahco were disqualified technically, so that Sahco's company can become the lone bidder.
Most of the tenders, in which Sahco's companies participated, witnessed various anomalies or generated allegations.
In case of the Padma bridge construction supervision tender, a similar pattern of bidding manipulation was seen. The Bridges Division dissolved the tender evaluation committee thrice without any explicit reasons and appointed the fourth committee headed by Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury without giving it the complete information about all the bidders. As a result, the deserving top bidder Halcrow was put behind SNC Lavalin.