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Green Crescent ran illegally

It has no permission for madrasa, orphanage; launched activities in another upazila in Bhola without authorisation

Julfikar Ai.i Manik
The UK-based controversial NGO Green Crescent was illegally operating a madrasa-cum-orphanage where the Rapid Action Battalion busted a mini ammo factory’ on March 24 in Bhola, say sources at the Department of Social Service.
Following the chilling arms and ammo haul from a well-furnished building of the madrasa in remote Ramkeshob village, a probe by the Department reveals Green Crescent has no permission to operate such institutions.
"Green Crescent was registered with the office of the Department of Social Service in Doulatkhan upazila in Bhola in 1999. Nothing was mentioned in its declared programmes in its charter about operating madrasa and orphanage," says an official quoting the investigation report.
Citing the probe report, the official adds Green Crescent’s sphere of Work was supposed to be limited in Doulatkhan municipality as per Its registration. But it had set up the madrasa-cum-orphanagc in Borhanuddin upazila.
"Green Crescent not only illegally set up such an institu tlon but also stretched its activities to Borhanuddin upazila without permission of the Department of Social Service," says an official asking not to be identified.
Facial Mostafa's father Golam Mostafa who lives in Manchester in the UK told The Daily Star earlier Green Crescent has two bank accounts with the Doulatkhan branch of Sonali Bank.
But a social service depart merit official says Green Crescent had mentioned its bank account with the Doulatkhan branch of Uttara Bank (account no6267).
The sources say following busting of the suspected militants' den, the Bhola district office of the Department of Social Service submitted the probe report to its head office in Dhaka on March 26.
Hie Rab on March 24 seized a huge cache of firearms and ammo, explosives substance, four pairs of German uniforms, and booklets on jihad, Moulana Moududi and al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. The next day a special law and order meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner'# Office, Bhola decided to run spot investigations into activities of all non government orphanages, mosques, madrasas and Ullah boardings in the district.
The meeting also formed a committee comprising officials from the district administration, police, Ansar, Village Defence Party and Department of Social Service to that end.
Die sources say when Green Crescent was registered in Doulatkhan it had submitted the Ust of a nine-member executive committee of die organisation.
According to the social service department documents, the committee members are President Abul Kalam. Vice-president Bangladeshi expatriate in the UK Faisal Mostafa, General Secretary Hasan Saifuddin Badal, Assistant Secretary Yunus Sharif, Treasurer Mizanur Rahman. Office Secretary Humayun Ahmed and members Sayem Uddin, Harunur Rashid and Zobayer 1 lossain.
"Though Green Crescent was supposed to inform the authorities about any changes in its executive commit tee, it did not do so after 2005. And recently we found some new names in the committee from the media reports," says an official.
The sources say Green Crescent authorities did not mention that they have registered an organisation in the UK by the same name.
"During registration they just mentioned that their vice-president lives in the UK," says an official in Bhola
Another official in the capital says Green Crescent was registered with the aim to eradicate illiteracy, provide health service, social development and eco nomic self-reliance for the poor in Doulatkhan.
But the Bhola official says medical services, relief distribution, children's parade and physical exercise on national days and feeding the poor sacrificing a dozen cows during Eid-ul-Azha were visible activities of the organisation in Doulatkhan.
The official adds Green Crescent neither informed offices of the social service department in Doulatkhan and Borhanuddin upazilas nor the executive officers of the upazilas about their new programmes in Borhanuddin including setting up a madrasa and mosque.
Sources say the social service department has sent the probe report to the Ministry of Social Welfare for further decisions and actions
An official of the department says Green Crescent committed two major offences -- it expanded its programmes in Borhanuddin without government permission and kept illegal arms, ammunition and explosives in its possession.
"For these offences the government may cancel Green Crescent's registration in Bangladesh," the official observes.