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Fake War Hero Certificates

Action against 5 secys coming

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee
Four top bureaucrats, who obtained freedom fighter certificates through forgery, will face departmental action, as the prime minister has given the public administration ministry her approval on the matter, say sources.
Besides, the cabinet division will take action against former senior secretary Molla Waheeduzzaman, now chairman of the Privatisation Commission with the status of a state minister, for securing freedom fighter credentials by committing fraud.
Waheeduzzaman was appointed as the commission chairman on contractual basis in January after he retired as secretary at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
In response to a summary note from the public administration ministry, the PMO has directed the ministry to take departmental action against the five government officials.
The ministry sent the note to the PMO in the third week of September and sought the PMO's directives on what it should do about the officials.
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Upon receiving the PMO's approval yesterday, the ministry served show cause notices to three secretaries and a joint secretary. The ministry also issued a gazette on the matter yesterday evening.
The four are -- Health Secretary Niaz Uddin Mia, Public Service Commission Secretary AKM Amir Hossain, and Liberation War Affairs Secretary KH Masud Siddiqui (now an officer on special duty) and its Joint Secretary Abul Kashem Talukder (also an OSD).
Of them, Niaz, Hossain and Masud obtained the certificates towards the end of their service period late last year to extend their tenure.
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, secretary to the public administration ministry, said the four bureaucrats were served with show cause notices yesterday under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1985.
“The process is underway to take departmental action against them on the basis of the allegation of misconduct against them. They have been given 10 working days to reply to the show
cause notices," hetoldThe Daily Star.
Once the ministry gets their response, it will assign an officer to investigate the allegations against them, said sources.
Under the Government Servants Rules, a public servant may face reduction to a lower post or time-scale, compulsory retirement, removal from service and dismissal from service for misconduct, desertion and corruption.
“Removal from service does not, but dismissal from service does, disqualify from future employment under the government or under any body corporate established by or under any law," say the rules.
A government servant, who is removed or dismissed from service, is not entitled to "any compensation pension, gratuity or benefits accruing from government contribution to a contributory provident fund", according to the rules.
Moreover, if the ministry concerned wishes, it may file a criminal case against a public servant for providing false information.
In its probe, the Anti-Corruption Commission found that the five offi-
cials resorted to cheating while in public service, which is a punishable offence under the penal code.
According to the penal code, the offender can face up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine for the crime.
A team of the anti-graft body submitted its report on September 8 to the liberation war affairs ministry after investigating the process through which the bureaucrats obtained freedom fighter certificates.
Talking to this correspondent, excabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said those who had their tenures extended by providing freedom fighter certificates should have lost jobs immediately after their certificates were revoked.
It usually needs months to take departmental action. These bureaucrats have set a bad example and they should face stern action, he said.
"The government action against the bureaucrats is too soft. I think the government should go tough on them," said Imam.
On September 22, liberation war affairs ministry revoked the freedom fighter certificates of the four bureau-
crats, and also withheld the certificate of Waheeduzzaman for not submitting his application to Jatiya Muktijoddha Council.
Moreover, the ministry had cancelled certificates of 182 other public servants on the same ground.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Muktijoddha Council has finalised the definition of freedom fighters.
Freedom fighters are those who took part in the Liberation War from March 26 to December 16 in 1971 for Bangladesh's independence responding to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to the definition.
Those who were at least 15 years old on March 26, 1971 can apply for freedom fighter status.
The Biranganas, who were tortured by the Pakistan army and their collaborators, have also been recognised as freedom fighters.
The decisions came at a meeting of Jatiya Muktijoddha Council at its office in the capital's Moghbazar with Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque in the chair.