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Corrupt band together

Arrested postal officials tell the tale of corruption

OUR CORRESPONDENT, Nilphamari
Audit teams from Dhaka came to Nilphamari Head Post Office every year but returned with bribes, allowing a section of dishonest employees to misappropriate depositors' money.
This was disclosed to police by the three postal employees now in custody.
They are Assistant Post Master of Nilphamari Head Post Office Mir Nura Islam Munna, Ledger Operator Ahmedul Islam Raju and Postal Operator Liaquat Ali.
The three along with another Postal Operator Taslim Uddin face two cases for alleged misappropriation of depositors' money. Taslimuddin is absconding since filing of the cases, one on April 6 and the other on April 13.
The audit teams used to be led by an official of the rank of Postal Superintendent or Audit Inspector, they told police during interrogation on remand. The teams used to detect misappropriation but were 'managed' by the corrupt employees and sent back to Dhaka, police sources quoted the three as telling them. This was disclosed to this correspondent
by high police officials seeking anonymity.
The three told police that they used to share misappropriated money with some members of audit teams. They also disclosed names of some postal officials in the audit teams that came to Nilphamari but the police sources declined to name the officials.
The three also told police that as per routine, statements of accounts were sent to the Chief Accountant's (Postal) office at AG (Accountant General) office in Dhaka after every fifteen days. But those were never opened as a section of employees used to get a share of the misappropriated money.
The remand of the three accused postal employees ended on Saturday but they were not produced before court till yesterday. Once produced in court, they would be required to give statements under Section 164, the sources said.
Earlier, the probe body detected misappropriation of Tk 3.12 crore in the savings certificate section at the Head Post Office.
Probe in the postal savings account section was supposed to
begin on April 17, according to sources at the Head Post Office. But it did not begin till yesterday.
This has raised wild speculations by some postal employees here that the probe could be slowed down or the head of the probe body might have been relieved of responsibilities as the team leader.
The head of the probe body, Additional Director General of Postal Department Mobasserur Rahman, known as an honest officer, returned Dhaka a week ago.
This correspondent also contacted Rezaul Islam, Deputy Post Master General (DPMG) of Dinajpur Region who is also in charge of Rangpur region now.
He dispelled the rumour and said Mobasserur Rahman is in Dhaka for "important talks" with high officials of his department and the Post and Telecommunication Ministry.
He said the team members are now busy preparing documents in support of the two cases filed earlier.
The DPMG said the probe body would start investigation in the postal savings account section within two to three days.
Meanwhile vested quarters are
seen at the post office, court premises and at the jail gate, who are allegedly trying to save the accused postal employees.
This correspondent also talked to Nilphamari Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shohorab Hossain and asked him why the accused persons are not produced in court. The OC is also the investigation officer of the cases.
He said there is documentary evidence on the anomalies done by the four postal employees. "So their confessional statement (in court) is not important now", he said. Additional Police Superintendent Ali Azam, who is the SP in-charge, said, "Documentary evidence against them is in our hand.
"If necessary they will be taken on remand again. We will also make them give confessional statements under Section 164 if needed".
The liquidity crisis at the Head Post Office has been resolved, according to Post Master Torab Ali. He said the post office got Tk 16 lakh as monthly allotment on Thursday.