3 DSs made OSD over freedom fighter quota fraud

The Ministry of Public Administration has made three deputy secretaries (DSs) Officers on Special Duty (OSD) over allegations of securing government jobs fraudulently under the freedom fighter quota.

The ministry issued separate notifications in this regard on Wednesday night. 

The officials are - Mohammad Tofazzal Hossain, Zonal Settlement Officer of the Jamalpur Zone; Rakibur Rahman Khan of the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA); and Nahida Barik of the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation. All three belong to the 29th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) batch. 

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), following a lengthy investigation, found evidence of alleged quota fraud against the three deputy secretaries and three other government officials.

The other accused are Halima Khatun of the Family Planning cadre, Mohammad Milton Ali Biswas of the General Education cadre and Khorshed Alam of the Police cadre. The respective authorities have also taken action against them.

According to the ACC investigation, the officials allegedly provided false information to obtain government jobs under the freedom fighter quota during the Awami League government’s tenure.

In January this year, the ACC filed a case against 21 people over the alleged fraud. The accused include the six officials, former chairmen and members of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, a former secretary, a former controller of examinations (cadre) and an official of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

Sources said the OSD postings constitute departmental action, while further measures may be taken against the three deputy secretaries.