The High Court has issued a rule asking authorities to provide an update within four weeks why it has failed to ensure honesty and transparency in purchasing furniture and other household items for the officials and employees of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) project.
The bench of Justice Tariq-ul-Hakim and Justice Md Shohrowardi passed the order and ruling on Tuesday following a petition filed by Barrister Sayedul Haque Suman.
The court also ordered Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim Shopna to inform the court within two weeks on what steps have been taken against the officials who are involved with the alleged irregularities.
The state counsel has also been asked to collect the Housing and Public Works Ministry probe committee's final report on the irregularities and to submit it before the court in two weeks.
Earlier on May 20, the High Court ordered the submission of an investigation report by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the abnormally high cost of furnishing apartments at the RNPP project.
During the hearing, the attorney general informed the court that the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Department (PWD) have formed two probe committees to investigate the allegations, and are expected to submit the report within seven days.
Speaking to journalists after the hearing, Barrister Sayedul stated that the court would reconvene upon receiving the investigation report after the Eid holidays.
On May 19, the Supreme Court lawyer had filed the writ petition with the High Court (HC), seeking judicial inquiry into the allegations of irregularities in purchasing furniture and other items for the RNPP apartments.
Barrister Sayedul said in the petition that excessive money had reportedly been spent on purchasing and transporting furniture and other items, adding that the salaries fixed for the employees and officials working on the project were also "unusual."
According to a media report that went viral on social media, the purchasing prices of various household articles used to furnish the RNPP project apartments were abnormally higher than the market price.
The procurement were made to furnish 966 apartments constructed for the Russian engineers and officials working on the project.