Endorsing the minister's demand, the parliamentary standing committee on the communications ministry at a meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday formed a sub-committee to probe the basis of the TIB report, which described the communications sector as the most corrupt of all.

The committee members present at the meeting, all belonging to the ruling BNP, came down heavily on the media as well for 'publishing false and baseless reports' on which the TIB report was based. At one stage of the discussion, committee Chairman Syed Manjur Hossain proposed enacting laws to contain 'yellow journalism', said sources.

The parliamentary body itself had raised allegations of irregularities in the import of CNG-run auto-rickshaws against the communications minister and the state minister. It formed two committees to probe the allegations but none has done the job yet though around 19 months have gone since they were formed.

The sub-committee formed yesterday to look into the basis of the TIB report has been tasked to report back within a month.

"We will examine the basis of the report. We will not proceed on with the issue if we find the report objective. But we will protest if we find it baseless," Manjur, also the convenor of the sub-committee, told The Daily Star yesterday after the meeting.

He said the communications minister raised the issue at the meeting and demanded legal action against the TIB. "Following the minister's demand, I proposed forming a sub-committee to probe the affair," he added.

The Bangladesh chapter of TI in a corruption database released on September 15 revealed that the country has incurred a loss of about Tk 415 crore last year alone due to corruption.

The communications sector came out as the most corrupt sector in the TIB report, which was based on the corruption reports published in 25 national and regional dailies last year.

The database report shows that the ministries overseeing forests and environment, the private sector, relief and disaster, and finance belong to a more corrupt grouping.

Meeting sources said in the absence of the opposition lawmakers, all the ruling BNP lawmakers and members of the body echoed Nazmul Huda's view on the TIB findings and blasted the non-governmental organisation committed to countering corruption for tarnishing the image of the alliance government by publishing baseless reports.

"The standing committee system, which is effective enough to ensure accountability of the ministry, has not raised any such allegations against the communications sector," a meeting source quoted Huda as saying while initiating a discussion on the issue.

Criticising the newspapers for running 'false' reports, he said, "It was I, who as the information minister had ensured the freedom of the press."

Hinting at the Bangladesh chapter of TI, he said people in the country are not fit to probe the so-called corruption situation. Rather people from outside should be brought in, if needed, to probe.

Ruling BNP lawmaker Manjur Hossain said the TIB has prepared the report with an ulterior motive. "We want to look into the way TIB had prepared the report," meeting sources quoted Hossain as saying.

If the TIB report is found false, a legal notice can be issued on it, he observed.

Later talking to journalists after the meeting, Manjur denied making any call for framing laws against journalism.

Ruling BNP lawmaker and committee member Fazlul Haque Milon at the meeting said the newspapers do not report on good works of the government. Most of the time while reporting they confine themselves to desks. They do not bother to go to the spot.

Ruling BNP lawmaker Nadeem Mostafa said if need be, suits can be filed against TIB with the High Court. "We should also look into whether any other ministry is involved with the TIB to divert the development fund from the communications ministry."

PROBE INTO THE CNG SCAM
The parliamentary body at yesterday's meeting also discussed the progress of the stalled probe into the corruption allegations against the minister and state minister of the communications ministry.

The two sub-committees formed to probe the allegations of corruption in import of CNG run auto-rickshaws and allocation of land to set up CNG filling stations have yet to produce any report. The probe bodies were once again given a week's extension of time to submit reports.

Earlier on Saturday, the chairman told The Daily Star that he would not extend the probe period.

"The sub-committees will be dissolved automatically if they fail again to submit reports in a week," Manjur Hossain, chairman of the parliamentary body, told The Daily Star.

The parliamentary body on January 7 last year formed a sub-committee headed by Nadeem Mostafa to probe the allegation against Nazmul Huda of allowing only one company to import CNG-run three-wheelers.

It formed another sub-committee headed by BNP lawmaker Mahmudul Haque Rubel on February 14 last year to probe the allegation against State Minister for Communications Salah Uddin Ahmed in allocation of lands to set up CNG filling stations.

Both of the sub-committees had been asked to submit report in a month. But despite having been granted several time extensions, they failed to come up with any report.