Lowering salary grade punishment for graft?
The Ministry of Public Administration (MoPA) has punished a deputy secretary by only lowering his salary grade after a departmental enquiry found him guilty of corruption and misconduct in connection with a project.
Deputy Secretary Akhtar Mamun, who has been made an officer on special duty (OSD), was the project director of the Learning and Earning Development Project under the Information and Communication Technology Division.
He used to draw salary in the 5th grade. After the ministry order, his salary will be in the 6th grade for about three years, according to a gazette notification issued on December 29, 2022.
The pay scale of a 5th-grade officer is Tk 43,000-69,850 and it is Tk 35,500-67,010 in 6th grade.
As per the notification, Mamun violated financial rules in purchasing equipment for training and office and wasted public money.
He was served a show-cause notice on November 7, 2021 to his email and present and permanent addresses. But he did not give any reply.
Later, the MoPA appointed an investigation officer. The corruption allegation and misconduct were proved beyond any reasonable doubt in the investigation.
Mamun was once again served a show-cause notice on August 24, 2022. He gave a reply to the notice on August 31, 2022.
The MoPA then sought an opinion from the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) on awarding him the punishment of lowering his salary grade for three years.
The BPSC agreed to this.
The findings and the BPSC's observation were sent to the president, who gave the final approval.
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