Tk 95 lakh scam goes unpunished!

The persons involved are now lobbying with the authorities concerned to avoid punishments, T&T sources here said.

Thirty-six telephone connections including some ISD lines were given in fake addresses by Barisal T&T last year, bills against which ran up to Tk 95, 24, 493. These were given at the behest of some corrupt officials in connivance with a local gang, and both earned hefty amounts illegally using the T&T facilities, the sources said.

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The scam came to light mid-last year when telephone bills against six numbers (54097, 55654, 55838, 71083, 71084 and 71353) in Barisal city were returned to the revenue department as their addresses were not found.

The notices sent against those numbers were also returned for the same reason.

After the T&T Revenue Department confirmed that the addresses were fake, it sent a letter (memo no. TR/BL/Arear/02-03, dated 27-08-2002) to Barisal Divisional T&T office to disconnect the numbers and take action for the irregularities.

But these connections were not disconnected till June 15 this year despite reminders twice, on December 23 last year and on March 3 this year, to the Divisional Executive Engineer (DET) Barisal and to the General Manager (GM) Khulna T&T.

In the mean time bills against these numbers exceeded Tk 46,49,662.

After this, six more connections in fake addresses in Barisal city were detected. The numbers were 72135,72137,72138,72139,72140 and 72141 and the connections were given by Barisal T&T within ten days from August 3 to August 14 this year. Within a month, their bills stood at Tk 30,28,395.

Following a complaint from the revenue section, these numbers were disconnected between September 2 and 8 this year.

Another 24 telephone numbers were also detected in false addresses in remote Agailjhara upazila with Tk18,46,435 arrears bills.

As the explanations given by the officials and employees concerned could not satisfy the revenue department, it urged higher authorities in T&T Board to take action against them.

The Director (Revenue) in a letter (memo no. PARI/TR/5-46/2003-2004/31 dated 28-10-2003) to the Chairman, T& T Board recommended action against the officials and employees of Barisal T&T for the irregularities, misappropriation and corruption.

T&T sources said, new connections are given after approval by authorities. Moreover, Barisal T&T has introduced metering system and some telephone numbers have been brought under the system.

So there is no scope for any official or staff to avoid responsibility for any irregularity, they said.