Corrupt official let off with just a temporary pay cut

The government has reduced the salary of an assistant commissioner (land) of Bogura sadar upazila for 12 months after he was found guilty of forgery.

Bir Amir Hamza kept active the user ID of a retired Kanungo and used it in seven land mutation cases in 2021, according to an investigation report submitted on February 18 to the public administration ministry. 

The complaint against Hamza was filed by Nur Muhammad Bhuyan, who retired on January 25, 2021, but his work ID was used later.

A gazette notification issued by the ministry on April 9 says Hamza, currently an assistant director of the Jatio Muktijoddha Council, is guilty of misconduct and he will get the lowest salary in his pay grade for a year. 

On Hamza's pay grade, an official's salary ranges between Tk 22,000 and Tk 53,060. Hence, his monthly salary will be Tk 22,000.

It is a light punishment, and he will start receiving the regular salary after 12 months, says the notification signed by Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, senior secretary of the public administration ministry.

Contacted, Hamza, an officer of the 34th batch of BCS, said, "The man who filed the complaint is dead. His testimony was not taken during the investigation. Therefore, I do not think that the allegations have been proved. But I am still being punished."

According to the notification, in May 2022, a departmental case for misconduct and corruption was registered against him under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018.

The investigation officer filed the first investigation report on July 26 last year, but the report did not clarify the matter, says the notification.

The officer was then asked to reinvestigate on an urgent basis. The officer came up with the second report on February 18 this year.

Several officials of the public administration ministry said such a light penalty in a proven case of forgery may encourage others to commit corruption.

Requesting anonymity, a colleague of Hamza said, "If someone commits forgery at such a young age and still has a job, it is not difficult to imagine what he would do in the future. If the fraud and corrupt individuals in the administration are not severely punished, such acts will only become more frequent."

An officer of the 33rd batch of BCS administration named Pramath Ranjan Ghatak was recently demoted for three years for corruption during acquisition of land for the Padma Bridge.