Rooppur power plant: Probe body finds anomalies of Tk 36.4cr

The committee formed to investigate the irregularities at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has found anomalies of Tk 36.4 crore in purchasing furniture and other household items for its officials and other employees.

The committee formed by the housing and public works ministry has handed over their probe report to the attorney general’s office today for submitting it to the High Court.

The probe body also has recommended punishment for 50 officials including engineer Md Masudul Alam, the then in-charge of Green City Housing Project under the power plant, for their involvement in the irregularities, according to the sources at AG’s office.

Contacted, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that the HC will hold a hearing on the issue on July 21.

He, however, could not say the contents of the probe report.

A source in the attorney general’s office said the probe committees have found that the government has allocated Tk 113.62 core for purchasing furniture and electric supplies for four buildings of the Green City Housing Project and materials worth Tk 77.22 core have been supplied for the buildings.

Following a writ petition, the HC on July 2 this year asked the attorney general’s office to collect the housing and public works ministry formed committees’ report on the irregularities in purchasing furniture and other household items for officials and other employees of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and to submit it before the court in two weeks.

The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks why it has failed to ensure honesty and transparency in purchasing the furniture and other household items for the officials and employees on the power plant.

Moreover, the court wanted to know the steps taken against the officials concerned who are involved in the alleged irregularities.

The HC bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Shohrowardi came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer barrister Sayedul Haque Suman seeking necessary order.

During a hearing on May 20, Barrister Suman, the writ petitioner, told the HC that the irregularities in purchasing the furniture and other household products should be enquired by an independent judicial committee as the committees formed by the housing ministry might be biased.

The officials against whom the allegations have been raised are part of the housing ministry, he argued, adding that the officials have failed to uphold the good faith in them through the purchase of the items.

According to reports in the media as well as the social media, the purchase prices of various items to furnish the project’s 966 apartments for the Russian engineers and others were abnormally higher than the market prices.

The reports claimed that each pillow was bought for Tk 5,957 and the cost of carrying it to an apartment was Tk 760.

An electric stove cost Tk 7,747 and the carrying cost from the ground floor to the top one cost Tk 6,650.

The reports also said that the price of an electric iron was Tk 4,154 and the carrying cost Tk 2,945.

Media reports also said that the salary of the project director was Tk 4.96 lakh.

Besides, he will be the executive director of the project, so he can receive an additional Tk two lakh.

In addition, the salary of each driver was Tk 63,000.

The total cost for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant stands around Tk 1,13,025 crore.