What action taken against irregularities by BPC concern, HC asks  

The High Court today (November 6, 2022) wanted to know what action has been taken against the irregularities of Tk 472 crore by Standard Asiatic Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

Issuing a suomuto (voluntary) rule, the HC ordered the BPC and comptroller and auditor general to give explanation on the issue by November 20.

The HC asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to update this court about the progress of its case against Moinuddin Ahmed, one of its five directors and the president of its management advisory committee, who was found to be involved in the irregularities.

The HC also issued the rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why their inaction to take action against the irregularities of the BPC's concern, Standard Asiatic Oil Company should not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu issued the order and suomuto rule based on a report published on The Daily Star on November 4 under the headline "A BPC concern robs state coffers of Tk 472.7cr".

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan placed the report before the HC bench for passing necessary directives on the issue.

The Daily Star report said, "The government has been deprived of Tk 472.7 crore for 21 counts of irregularities by Standard Asiatic Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, found an audit.

The disclosure comes after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pored over the company's books from fiscal 2012-13 to 2019-20 and made field visits.