Inquiries have found that 34 officials were involved in graft while procuring furniture and other household items Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) housing project, says the government.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday (Jul 24), Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim said 30 of the officials are from his ministry while the remaining are from the science and technology ministry.
He said it has been decided to file departmental cases against 16 officials of the Housing and Public Works Ministry after suspending them, and necessary legal action, including filing of departmental cases, will be taken against the rest of the officials.
The money that went down the drain, amounting to Tk 364 million will be realised from the three contractors, said the minister. “Licences of the contractors will also be cancelled.”
The purchase prices of various stuff to furnish the project’s apartments for the officials and employees were unusually higher than the market prices, the media reported.
The purchases were made to furnish 966 apartments constructed for the Russian engineers and officials working on the project.
Even each pillow, the reports claimed, was bought for Tk 5,957, and its carrying cost from the shop to the building put at Tk 760.
An electric stove reportedly cost Tk 7,747 and transporting it—from the bottom floor to upstairs—cost Tk 6,650.
Moreover, the purchasing price of an electric kettle was cited as Tk 5,313, and its transportation cost cited as Tk 2,945. A vacuum cleaner was reportedly purchased for Tk 12,018 and transported upstairs for a charge of Tk 6,650.
The report also claimed the price of an electric iron had been cited as Tk 4,154. Transporting the iron cost Tk 2,945.
Moreover, a television reportedly cost Tk 86,970, and carrying it upstairs cost Tk 7,698. A refrigerator also reportedly cost Tk 94,250, and its carrying cost was Tk 12,521.