Bangladesh News

The Truth and Accountability Commission (Tac) yesterday extended the deadline to apply for clemency for the third time till November 15 as it thinks more hearing would help look deep into institutional corruption.

Meanwhile, Jasas leader Mosharraf Hossain Thakur applied to Tac yesterday through a special court for making voluntary disclosure about ill-gotten wealth. He is the second politician to apply for clemency so far since the commission began functioning on August 3.

Earlier on September 9, former BNP state minister Maj (retd) Kamrul Islam applied to face Tac through the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). However, ACC did not forward the matter to Tac as necessary papers are not ready yet.

“For the last time we have decided to extend the deadline for 15 days,” Tac Chairman Justice Habibur Rahman Khan said during a regular press briefing at the commission office.

Tac sources say Thakur has applied through the special court-6 of Tanzina Ismail. He is an accused along with former premier Khaleda Zia’s political secretary Harris Chowdhury and his family members in a graft case pending with the court.

Harris’s political friend Thakur, secretary of BNP’s cultural wing Jasas, also helped Harris accumulate Tk 41.03 lakh beyond known sources of income by using own bank account and buying shares.

He also kept in his name Harris’ shares worth Tk 21 lakh and bought shares worth Tk 21.03 lakh from National Tea Company following order from Harris, who kept the shares in his possession and took the profit.

Investigation sources say they have learned that Thakur always tried to keep Harris pleased to get nomination and give him money as demanded.

The Tac chairman said though the extension adds further pressure on their shoulder, they would work during holidays for the sake of the country to complete their task by January 2.

“We are identifying the problems in administration, legal loopholes, and procedural mistakes following information extracted from the graft-accused heard so far. We’ll make our final report incorporating recommendations regarding the findings,” said former comptroller and auditor general Asif Ali, one of the three members of the commission.

Justice Habibur said Tac, which was initiated with a budget of around Tk 50 lakh, is also cost-effective, as it has already added about Tk 10.93 crore returned by 107 graft-accused to the national exchequer, while over Tk 12 crore is likely to be deposited.

He explained that the government pays salary only to the three members and the 45 staffs attached to the commission are paid by their respective departments.

Maj Gen (retd) Manzur Rashid, another member of the commission, said they are still working with corruption in BTCL, former BTTB, and found that the committee formed by the government also had problems.

He said the investigators in the government probe bodies were selected from lower ranks so that they could not do anything against top-level officials.