BILLIONAIRE BNP MINISTERS

BILLIONAIRE BNP MINISTERS
Summary: Corruption is the number one problem for Bangladesh. Transparency International in its annual report placed Bangladesh at the top of the list of most corrupt nations in the world. Certainly, it makes the politicians in Bangladesh, especially those in power, extremely uncomfortable and worried. It is apprehended that in the coming report of Transparency International, Bangladesh is going to be placed once again at the top. Although the ruling alliance in the country are making frantic bids in cleansing the image of Bangladesh, it is well understood that, international community are yet to be convinced to the fact that, Begum Khaleda Zia’s government is doing something in eliminating corruption from different section in the country. Only recently, an intelligence agency in the country identified 11 mid ranking officials with National Board of Revenue, who own 15 luxurious villas in countries port city of Chittagong, which costs US$ 2.5 million. It is important to mention here that, monthly salary of these officials is less than US$ 400 per month! Police and Customs (revenue) are the most corrupt departments in Bangladesh. Almost all the officers, on their retirement, emerge as multi-millionaire. They acquire wealth and properties in their own name of in the names of their spouses. It is almost an open secret in the country. Government also knows these facts, but is unable to take any action.

In recent days, names of some of the members of the BNP’s cabinet in Bangladesh come as the worst corrupts. They minted money like wild gambling. Sixty members of parliament rose complaint against a particular minister, while the Prime Minister Khaleda Zia did not take any action against him. It is also learnt that, many of the family members of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia are becoming fabulously rich, by using state power. The most talked about corrupt figure in Bangladesh is Tareq Rahman, eldest son of the Prime Minister. TAREQ BECAME BILLIONAIRE JUST IN FEW YEARS, WHILE MANY OF HIS FRIENDS, WHO WERE PARTNERS IN HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITIES OR IN THE ADDICTION OF PHENSIDYL ALSO BECAME VERY RICH UNDER THE DIRECT PATRONIZATION OF THE SON OF PM BEGUM KHALEDA ZIA.
Tareq has established Hawa Bhaban, which is although considered as one of the offices of the ruling party. There are solid evidences of this office’s involvement in interfering in almost all the business and contracts in the country. Hawa Bhaban palls are considered as the most influential figures in Bangladesh. One of the Hawa Bhaban palls is Giasuddin Mamun, who is tareq’s closest friend too. Hailing from an extreme poor family in the southern part of Bangladesh, Mamun is today one of the richest men in Bangladesh through various corruption, smuggling and many other forms of illegal activities.
Surprisingly one of the assistant press secretaries of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Touhidul Islam alias Ashik Islam is simultaneously working in the PMO as well in Hawa Bhaban as its spokesman. Moreover, this man is also involved with Tareq’s private television channel, Channel One. There are numerous allegations on Ashik’s involvement in a number of financial irregularities as well of misappropriating state money with various excuses, government did not take any action against this man, as he is considered to be one of the closest aides of Tareq Rahman. In the PMO too, Ashik is known as an womanizer, alcoholic, bribe taker and blackmailer. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was notified several times about this man’s illegal activities by country’s intelligence agencies. But, she could not take any action against Ashik, as Tareq always stood behind him with fullest support.

Khaleda’a own brother, Sayeed Iskander, who is a sacked major of Bangladesh army, also turned into multi-millionaire by using the influence of his sister.

Former premier and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia went berserk and yelled at the top of her lungs asking whether her son was such a thief that he would have to flee the country, said former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar during questioning by the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI).

Babar was recalling his experience in planning Tarique Rahman's supposed departure from the country to avoid the incarceration he is currently in. "Before Tarique Rahman was arrested, we used to get information from different sources that he might get caught. So I, Mannan Bhuiyan, Falu and Qamrul held a secret meeting in Mannan's residence and decided that Tarique would be sent abroad for two or three years," Babar told the TFI.

He said they planned that Tarique would be brought back home with a hero's welcome if BNP would come back to power again.

"As everything got finalised Falu narrated the matter to Khaleda Zia using my name before he took her to Hawa Bhaban in the same evening. Listening to the plan, madam went ballistic and began shouting at the top of her lungs in her residence," Babar said.

"Arriving at Hawa Bhaban, she started yelling again asking where are the conspirators Mannan Bhuiyan and Babar? Is my son such a big thief that he will have to flee the country?" Babar quoted Khaleda as yelling.

Babar also told the interrogators that about a year or so ago Khaleda Zia called him in and told him that she had Tk 20 crore in different places which she wanted to keep with one Kamal. She also told him that the money would later be used during elections.

Sources claimed that Babar told the investigators that Khaleda wanted to know from him whether he knew any trustworthy people with whom the money could be kept safely for a year, and in reply Babar told her that finding such people would be a very tough task for him.

Babar also told the interrogators that when Khaleda raised the issue again on the next day when he went to meet her, he asked his brother to keep the money. His brother then got angry with him telling him not to get involved in such matters warning him that those kinds of activities would come back to haunt him one day. Babar said a day later he asked his brother whether he could help him as his 'madam' had given him the task trusting him.

According to the sources, Babar told the interrogators that some days before he asked Khaleda for an approval to open up a bank and then he sat with some people to work out a plan. However, they told Babar that banks require a big amount of investment and the money would be collected in the name of BNP, a portion of which would be given to Babar as his share.

Babar also said he whitened a large amount of money through his brother in the name of a company after his meeting with the aspiring bank owners. The former home ministry boss also said later he brought the matter to Khaleda's attention who introduced him to a man who later turned out to be the person who had arranged to hundi Tk 20 crore, a portion of which Babar used to invest in the banking business he was trying to embark on.

Babar said suddenly he came to know that the Tk 20 crore was part of the money that had been taken from Warid Telecom as a bribe.

Tareq Rahman: fucking son of khaleda zia

At the age of 42 Tareq made his first significant step in politics in 2002, when ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party was announced that he had been promoted to a senior position. Mr Rahman rapidly acquired a reputation for being a “hatchet man” for enforcing party discipline. Mr. Rahman appears to prefer working behind the scenes. His private office “Hawa Bhavan” was widely viewed by political opponent Awami League as the driver of the country’s mismanagement and corruption during 2001 to 2006 while his mother Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister. He rarely speaks to the press, and is renowned for his reticence in the few media interviews he has given.

TAREQ RAHMAN’S ARREST

Under the present care taker government on March 7, 2007, Tareq Rahman was arrested by law enforcing Joint Forces. He is charged with extortion and other corruptions. He initially denied the charges. But later the situation turned dramatically when other arrested BNP political leaders started to disclose information on Tareq Rahman’s corruption. Especially the arrest of former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar on May 29, 2007 brought a huge downfall of Tareq’s public image. Mr. Babar provided evidence of Tareq Rahman’s corruption. But trail has not started for these charges yet. Khaleda Zia claimed in the court that her sons had not committed any crime as they did not need money.

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Bangladesh’s Interim Government has tightened its grip on civil liberties while it’s anti graft campaign gathers speed, sparing none in its path. Yesterday evening Fakhruddin Ahmed’s provisional administration outlawed all political activities “public or private”, because “certain parties have been misusing flexibility conceded to them”. A state of emergency has been in act in the country since January 11th last, following weeks of violent protest between activists from the majority political parties. The general elections, which were due to be held on the 22 of February, have been put off indefinitely. Fakhruddin - ex govern of the central bank - has pledged to put an end to corruption before establishing a date for elections.

In recent weeks security forces have arrested over 150 politicians, charged with corruption. Yesterday it was the turn of Tareque Rahman, joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of ex leader Khaleda Zia. Police are holding him for interrogation on charges of extortion to the value of 145 thousand dollars; but other claims against him are far more serious. Analysts in country contacted by AsiaNews tell that in the last 5 years of the BNP government – lead by his mother - Tareque was “the epicentre of high level crime and corruption: an example are the billion dollar contracts approved by him, such as those given to Chinese companies to build enormous power plants. These companies did not posses the technical now how to build the plants which from the very start have struggled to meet 50% of their expected output”.

The UN anti corruption agency declared Bangladesh “the most corrupt country in the world” 5 years in a row. In 2006 the prize passed into other hands, leaving Bangladesh in “only” third place. “Corruption is widespread, from the postman to ministers, from teachers to judges” experts note. “People constantly discuss it, politicians make promises, but no one actually believes its levels can even be reduced”.

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If Ershad is barred from running in next election due to corruption charges, then what about Khaleda Zia and her family members. She must explain to people how her family became one of the richest families in the world from the day of broken suitcase and ragged T-Shirt. Her son Tareque Zia is well known as Mr.10%.

By special blessing of Khaleda Zia , from the street Falu Mia earned more than Tk1,000 Cr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan became the owner of private TV Channel.

Vicious circle of syndicate under direct patronization of Tareque Zia plundered thousands of crores Takas from the pocket of common people by hiking the prices of all commodities. In terms of corruption, Ershad was infant compared to Khaleda Zia's family all MPs and Ministers of immediate past BNP-Jamaat govt.Most of the people in Bangladesh did not support the massive corruption done by BNP-Jamaat alliance, so people won't vote for them again. People will vote for a new govt. to punish Khaleda Zia, Tareque Zia and all other MPs and Ministers of immediate past BNP-Jamaat govt.All their properties will be seized by the newly elected govt. to form a National Trust.

So, In Coming Election the Main Agenda is to defeat toxic BNP-Jamaat alliance in order to put Khaleda Zia, Tareque Zia and all other thug MPs and Ministers of erstwhile BNP-Jamaat govt. in jail for record breaking misrule and massive corruption. Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar spilled more beans as he told investigators yesterday that he had negotiated a $10 million fast-track frequency allocation deal for Warid Telecom and the booty was shared by Arafat Rahman Koko and former BNP MP Ali Asgar Lobi. Of the amount, $9 million was given to former prime minister Khaleda Zia's younger son Koko and $1 million to detained BNP leader Lobi who had close links with detained BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and his Hawa Bhaban.

Babar also revealed during interrogation that Koko and former finance minister Saifur Rahman's son Tony took commission from a Chinese company in the name of giving it a contract for supplying telecommunications equipment. He, however, denied his involvement in the deal.

On the controversial purchase of 1,970 vehicles involving Tk 121 crore from the government coffer and a huge counterpart fund from a donor agency, he told the investigators that he did not go through the documents before signing the deal.

"It was my mistake. I even did not go through the file before signing it," Babar was quoted to have said during interrogation. The former state minister claimed that he had no option but to approve the controversial vehicle purchase for various law enforcement departments "under pressure from the high-ups". Pacific Motors owned by former foreign minister M Morshed Khan was the prime beneficiary of the purchase proposal. Babar, who is now on a four-day police remand, said BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman was the main backer of Pacific Motors. The government decided to procure the 1,970 cars ahead of the Saarc summit in the capital in 2005. The police headquarters floated a tender in which 16 importers participated. But at the last moment, the authorities changed the conditions of bidding through a circular in such a way that allowed only two importers to participate. That prompted the other bidders to lodge complaints with the government alleging corruption in the bidding process, but that did not work. Sources said the former state minister also confessed that an official of the Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore used to look after his business there.

Sources said the former state minister gave the investigators information, which they later found to be false. Babar gave the false information to save himself, the sources added.

Babar also confessed to owning a lot of plots and flats in the names of his relatives.

Meanwhile, Tk 20 crore, which Babar took as bribe from Bashundhara Group, was deposited in the central bank's government exchequer on Wednesday in nine cheques and pay orders.

A Bashundhara Group director told the joint forces that Babar took the money in exchange for not implicating Bashundhara Group owner Ahmed Akbar Sobhan's son Shafiat Sobhan in the killing of another director of the conglomerate Humayun Kabir Sabbir. The former state minister asked the Bashundhara men to deliver the money to Prime Bank Director Qazi Saleemul Huq who was supposed to return the money to Babar at a later time, sources said. After receiving the bribe, Babar allegedly instructed the police not to proceed with the case and the Bashundhara director's murder still remains unsolved. He also allegedly let Sobhan's son Shafiat fly out of the country. Bashundhara Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan is on the Anti-Corruption Commission list of graft suspects. He escaped to London soon after the anti-graft drive began and has been hiding abroad since then. ===========================================================================