The parliamentary committee for liberation war affairs has begun an investigation over allegations of corruption and irregularities involving the Gulistan Shopping Mall of the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust or freedom fighters welfare trust.
A sub-committee has also been formed headed by committee president Shahjahan Khan. The first meeting of the sub-committee will be held on Wednesday (May 29). Another sub-committee has also been formed to probe into allegations of irregularities involving the construction of a multi-storied building in Agrabad, Chattogram.
The other members of the sub-committee are ABM Tajul Islam, former state minister for the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and MP of Dhaka-6, Kazi Feroz Rashid.
The committee has been given a two month time limit to submit the report.
Shahjahan Khan told Bangla Tribune: “We have started preliminary work and after looking at all aspects of the allegations, will submit a report.”
We cannot allow the looting of the assets belonging to freedom fighters; no one linked to the aberrations will avoid punishment.”
We have reasons to believe that several dishonest officials of the trust have their hands in the corruption, he observed.
Kazi Feroz Rashid, says: “The rent fixed for the shops is not aligned to market rates; almost Tk 3 million is collected every month from shops constructed on the parking lots though as per RAJUK laws, any structure on parking space is illegal.”
It’s found that the Gulistan Shopping Complex was supped to be 20 storied but the construction company disappeared after completing the tenth floor. By this time, the company had sold possession of 540 shops out of 883 shops, taking Tk 3 billion.
The remaining unsold 343 shops have also been occupied with some even taking validity acknowledgement from the trust. While others with support from influential people reportedly showed false papers to take possession of shops.