Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday made Suranjit Sengupta, MP, as a “minister without portfolio” a day after he resigned as the railway minister, an official handout said.
“With the authority vested upon him under rule 4 (IV) of Rules of Business under 1996, the prime minister appointed Suranjit Sengupta as the minister without portfolio reliving him of charges of Railway Ministry,” it noted.
On Monday, Railway Minister of Bangladesh Suranjit Sengupta resigned from the cabinet following the last week’s alleged financial scandal against him.
The decision of the Railway minister’s resignation came a week after law enforcement agencies detained one of his (Sengupta’s) official aides and two railway officials, who were going to his (minister’s) residence along with BDT 70,00,000 on the night of April 9.
On the day assistant private secretary (APS) to the railway minister Omar Faruq Talukder, railway general manager Yusuf Ali Mridha and divisional commandant of its security force Enamul Huq were going to the minister’s house along with the said money.
At one stage, their car driver suddenly drove the vehicle to the headquarters of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Peelkhana in Dhaka. The driver then told the border guards that there was stash of bribe money inside the car.
Earlier on Sunday, the Railway minister fired his APS and ordered temporary suspension of two railway officials, who were allegedly involved in the financial scandal. The department’s ongoing recruitment process also was suspended as investigations were underway into the scandal.
He has sent all documents belonging to Faruq to the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation into his financial position and other properties.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bank (BB), the country’s central bank, issued a directive asking all commercial banks to freeze bank accounts of Faruq and his wife and send report to the central bank in this regard within seven days.
BBN/SSR/SI-17Apr12-9:50 pm (BST)
