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CNG 3-WHEELER SCAM CHARGE

Callers complain of more sleaze

SHAKHAWAT LITON
Many called the office of a parliamentary standing committee chairman yesterday, alleging sleaze in the sale of CNG autorickshaws, a day after the communications ministry was blamed for monopoly of Uttara Motors in the import of such vehicles.
Syed Monjur Hossain, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the communications ministry, and its members asked the callers to lodge complaints with the sub-committee formed Wednesday to probe the allegations of corruption.
The Jatiya Sangsad body that fired a broadside at
Communications Minister Nazmul Huda for what it said was impropriety in the distribution of CNG (compressed natural gas) autorickshaws will review the complaints at its next meeting in February.
"No anomaly crept into the import of CNG autorickshaws," Huda said in defence, adding he underwent eye treatment in London in the days when the import plan was in the making.
Committee members told a meeting at the Sangsad Bhaban that Uttara Motors spiked the prices of a CNG autorickshaw up to Tk 3.67 lakh from the actual price at Tk 1.67 lakh.
"The callers raised more
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allegations about the sale of the three-wheelers and land allocation for setting up CNG filling stations," Monjur told The Daily Star.
Uttara Motors, allowed to import 10,000 CNG autorickshaws, has sold 8,000 vehicles to local buyers since January 2003, when the government phased out petrol-driven two-stroke three-wheelers to cut air pollution in Dhaka.
"The people I have met today (yesterday) expressed happiness with our initiative to curb corruption in the communications sector," said Ataur Rahman Khan, a member of the committee and ruling BNP lawmaker.
"We will not allow anyone to strip people of money that is denting the government's image," he added, describing the high prices of CNG autorickshaws as a robbery.
The complainants also raised allegations of graft in land allocation for setting up gas stations and were willing to provide evidence of anomaly in an echo of BNP lawmaker SA Khaleque's complaint of corruption against State Minister for Communications Salahuddin Ahmed.
Khaleque told the House on June 28 last year Salahuddin took Tk 25 lakh in bribe from Ward Commissioner Monwar Hossain Dipjol and allowed him to set up a gas station in Mirpur -- an allegation that prompted the state minister to accuse the lawmaker of land grab.
The sub-committee will start its probe by next week and review the sale of CNG autorickshaws and import permit of Uttara Motors, said Nadeem Mostafa, convenor of the sub-committee.