JS body to probe DCC corruption

A parliamentary sub-committee was formed yesterday to investigate alleged corruption of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and others of the local government body.
The parliamentary standing committee on LGRD ministry formed the four-member probe body to enquire into the allegations it received against the incumbent mayor and other senior officials of the corporation.
Awami League (AL) lawmaker Monowar Hossain will lead the probe body that also includes ruling alliance lawmakers Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, AKM Mostafizur Rahman and BNP lawmaker Abul Khair Bhuiyan.
"We received various allegations against Dhaka City Corporation. Therefore, we formed the sub-committee. The committee will investigate allegations of irregularities in appointment, promotion, awarding of contracts and fixing of tax," Rahmat Ali, chief of the parliamentary standing committee, told reporters after a meeting.
Replying to a query, he said the sub-committee will investigate allegations of financial irregularities against anybody in the corporation including the DCC mayor.
Khoka, who was elected mayor early in 2002, is still the mayor of the DCC even though his tenure expired in 2007. The Election Commission (EC) could not hold polls to the DCC on time due to the state of emergency and issues related to the voter list.
Rahmat Ali said his committee would gradually investigate the alleged corruption in other organisations under the LGRD ministry. The organisations include Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Cooperatives Directorate, Milk Vita, Local Government Engineering Division and Department of Public Health Engineering.
LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament termed the DCC a den of corruption.