Caught in camera

Md Shahidul Haque

A senior government official is likely to face administrative and legal action after he was filmed taking bribes from service seekers on a number of occasions at his Motijheel office in the capital.

Video clips available on the social media show Md Shahidul Haque, controller at Dhaka office of the Office of Chief Controller of Imports & Exports (CCI&E) under the commerce ministry, counting notes, bargaining with service seekers over bribe and putting the cash in his trouser pocket.

It was unclear when the video was shot. But commerce ministry sources said their top officials came to know about it before the Eid-ul-Azha.

The ministry's monthly coordination committee saw the videos at a meeting last month.

The senior secretary and other high-ups -- from assistant to additional secretaries -- watched the video clips with surprise, added the sources.

A committee headed by the ministry's Joint Secretary Sadar Ali Biswas was formed on September 21, and it launched a probe into the matter after the Eid vacation.

Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, senior secretary to the commerce ministry, told The Daily Star yesterday, “We will get a primary report from the probe committee on Monday. It will be based on the video footage. If the official is found involved in the bribery, he will be suspended from his post.”

The committee will later submit a detailed report to the ministry, he said.

“We are very serious about it, and will take very tough action against him if he is proved guilty. We have zero tolerance for any corrupt practices,” added Mamoon.

Asked about the video tapes, Shahidul yesterday said this was all part of a conspiracy by some officials at his office and outsiders.

Shahidul joined the public service in 1985. Before being made controller at Dhaka office, he held important positions at the commerce ministry, the Tariff Commission, and the Export Promotion Bureau.

According to the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), corruption is widespread in many government offices, and bribe takers, in most cases, go unprosecuted.  

Bangladesh topped the list of corrupt countries published by Transparency International between 2001 and 2005. Though the country's ranking improved in the following years, it was ranked the 14th most corrupt nation last year.  

The latest bribery scandal is a reminder of corrupt practices at public offices.

A number of businesspeople lodged complaints with the commerce ministry against Shahidul, and provided video clips as evidence.

According to the rules, businesses have to obtain registration certificates from the CCI&E to import or export goods. The fees for imports and exports are fixed, and they vary depending on the volume of the goods.

A number of businesspeople alleged that they had to pay bribes for getting certificates even though they had submitted all required documents. And Shahidul led the group that took bribes from service seekers at Dhaka office of the CCI&E.

The head office of the CCI&E is in Motijheel, and it shares the same building with its Dhaka office. The agency has 15 branches across the country.

Talking to The Daily Star, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said he was not at all surprised at the bribery scandal, as his organisation always raised the issue of corruption at public offices.

It was good that senior officials said they would take departmental action based on the probe report. “But there is no scope for delay in taking steps against the wrongdoer since there is concrete evidence,” said the anti-graft campaigner.

Departmental action against the wrongdoer is not enough. “The Anti-Corruption Commission can take up the issue on its own to bring the person to justice. It has the jurisdiction,” he added.