Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Principal Secretary and Adviser Kamal Abdun Nasser Chowdhury has been arrested.

Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB) arrested him from the capital on Tuesday (October 1) night.

DB Police arrested three more people on the same night. They are former sports secretary Mezbah, ex-chairman of Exim Bank Nazrul Islam Majumdar and Bashundhara Group coordinator Adnan.

DMP Media and Public Relations Department Deputy Commissioner (DC) Talebur Rahman confirmed the matter.

He said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Principal secretary and adviser Kamal Nasser Chowdhury, former youth and sports secretary Mejbah Uddin Ahmed, ex-chairman of Exim Bank and BAB Nazrul Islam Majumder and Bashundhara Group coordinator Adnan have been arrested.

Each of those arrested has specific criminal charges and cases against them. Legal action is pending against them.

Anti-discrimination student movement won and new government was formed in the country. But discrimination is widespread in the country. There is an extremely unfair environment in the government offices. Sycophants have occupied important positions over the years and have rendered the entire system useless. Barta24.com will have a series of reports. In the first phase, there is the Directorate of Disaster Management. The disaster there is terrible. Discrimination and anarchy which have emerged in the report of staff correspondent Jahid Raqib.

Anti-discrimination movement has been going on in this directorate for two years. The deserving ones are not getting places, while most of the officers were disgraced by the brutality of a class of officials who were busy with pleasures during the dictatorial Sheikh Hasina government. There is arbitrariness going on. There are complaints that some officials are holding multiple posts in high positions. In this, many talented officers are not getting regular promotion. On the other hand, two to five types of work are being done by one person without hiring manpower for vacant posts. In this, they have to get speed to work in the emergency moment of disaster. An officer and an office assistant have been kept to run the activities of 495 upazilas of the country. There is no own vehicle for the relief operation.

Established in 1972, the only disaster management agency in disaster-prone Bangladesh is struggling due to lack of manpower. As compared to the proposed posts, 952 posts are vacant.

Bangladesh Upazila Project Implementation Officers Association observes a one-party strike to demand recruitment and promotion and manpower increase in the existing manpower structure. Almost two years have passed after raising the logical demand, but no visible initiative has been taken from the ministry.

It is known that, even now, there is an ongoing movement in the Directorate of Disaster Management regarding the elimination of various discriminations.

Ismail Hossain, coordinator of the anti-discrimination movement formed in the department seeking regular promotion, told Barta24.com, "The ministers and secretaries of the previous government have deprived us of regular promotion in the disaster department." That continuity is still going on in new Bangladesh. We want to arrange speedy promotion according to the rules of the directorate.'

He said, "We have suspended the movement due to humanitarian reasons. If the new government does not take any measures to meet the demands, we will announce the next program soon.'

Meanwhile, although there is a provision for appointing and promoting officers and employees of the Disaster Management Directorate according to the Recruitment Rules-1995, the authorities are not paying attention to anything. Irregularity has become the rule in this department for almost a century and a half. It is as if the keeper is playing the role of the eater here.

Apart from this there is the violence of the BCS administration cadre. Sources said that in the existing organizational structure, seven of the eight directorships are occupied by administrative cadre officers. But according to the rules, four people are supposed to be appointed through posting (BCS) and four through departmental promotion. Due to this disparity, those who could have worked in the directorate for a long time with experience and could have occupied higher positions are being deprived of opportunities.

Officials complained that the promotion process has been stopped to deprive departmental officers in a planned manner. Payment of salaries and allowances to officers posted on extra-ordinary postings. As a result, huge expenses are increasing in the management sector of the government.

Allegedly, former ministerial secretaries have embezzled thousands of crores of money from TR-Kabikha, HBB road, bridge and culvert construction projects in the last 15 years by appointing their own favorites.

There is discrimination in the post of deputy director like the post of director in the directorate. Of the 19 Deputy Director posts, 15 by departmental promotion and 4 by deputation are prescribed. But ignoring that rule, 5 officers have been appointed to the post. On the other hand, the department does not look at those who were supposed to get opportunities through departmental promotion. Only one person has been promoted to the post of Deputy Director and the remaining 13 posts have been left vacant. As has been going on for years. Meanwhile, the officers posted on the mission have each occupied the top positions of multiple departments.

In such mismanagement, the project implementation work is not being monitored after the daily office work. Besides, they do not have technical skills in project monitoring work at field level.

An official, who did not want to be named, told Barta24.com that in the last 15 years, the ministers in charge of the Disaster Management Directorate have carried out 'misappropriations'. In the name of relief, officials close to the dictatorial government have built a mountain of wealth. Besides, the deputation appointees hold two to three positions each. As a result departmental leavers did not get evaluation.

This directorate was immersed in unlimited corruption. The corruption of relief money was terrible. In addition, the officials have grabbed hundreds of crores of rupees in the name of implementing various projects. The proof of which can be found, after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 16, the former senior secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md. Shah Kamal’s house more than Tk. 3 crore in cash and Tk. 10 lakh worth of foreign currency were recovered.

According to the stakeholders, action should be taken against those who are stealing the aid money of the affected people in cyclone and flood prone countries. Apart from increasing the manpower in the department, they also opined that there should be an investigation as to whose interests such an important department has been paralyzed for some purpose in a disaster-prone country.

It is alleged that former senior secretary Shah Kamal was arrested with a large amount of money. Shah Kamal appointed two first-class upazila government engineers as project assistant engineers by showing thumbs up to the promotion rules with huge financial benefits. Later it had two posts of Executive Engineer and two Assistant Engineers, but only one of them was promoted to the post of Assistant Engineer. The authorities kept the post for 9 years by appointing Dewan Nurul Huda without promoting another vacant post.

As a result, the engineering branch of DDM became practically non-functional due to non-regular promotion and recruitment in the engineering branch of DDM. Due to non-promotion to the post of Assistant Engineer on time, two vacant posts of Executive Engineer have also not been filled. For a long time, the recruitment and promotion in the engineering branch has been stopped and the officers chosen by the higher authorities have been appointed to various positions of the ongoing projects.

An officer in two to five posts:

According to the sources of the directorate, each officer has been assigned responsibility in two to five branches without regular promotion. In the administration branch, Tasnuva Nashtaran is in the post of Deputy Director of Administration-2 but has also been posted as Deputy Director of Administration-1 as an additional charge. Mohammad Kamal Hossain has been given the responsibility of Planning Branch, Mitigation Branch, Deputy Director of Kabikha-3 Branch, VGD Branch 1 and 2 Branch as additional responsibility.

Like Tasnubha and Kamal Hossain, Jharna Begum Kabikha-1 branch deputy director is serving as deputy director of Kabikha-2 branch as additional responsibility, Jahangir Ali Khan is serving as relief-2 branch as deputy director of relief branch-1 along with additional responsibility. Fazle Siddique. Yahya is also serving as deputy director of three branches.

Dewan Nurul Huda is posted as Assistant Engineer in the Engineering Branch. This Nurul Huda is known as the confidant of former secretary Shah Kamal, who was arrested with three crore money. Dewan Nurul Huda, who is posted as Assistant Engineer of Engineering Branch, is simultaneously serving as Assistant Engineer of Flood-Shelter Center, Assistant Engineer of Disaster Management Training Center Project and Assistant Engineer of all projects undertaken by DDM. There are allegations against Nurul Huda that he has made the engineering branch of the department ineffective by managing senior officials of direct and indirect administration.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief is one of the most important ministries of the country. About 70% of the social safety net projects undertaken by the government are implemented through the Ministry's Disaster Management Department. Employment Program for the Super Poor, TR-Kabikha) HBB Roads, Construction of Bridges/Curlverts, Homeless House Construction Programme, Construction and Repair of Cyclone Shelters, Construction of Flood Shelters are implemented by the Department. As a result, the officials demand that the government should speed up the work of the department to ensure the social security of the country.

The directorate did not implement the court verdict:

Meanwhile, those deprived of promotion approached the court due to non-appointment and promotion as per the recruitment rules. Among them, an assistant engineer of the Mujib Killa project told Barta24com that they were supposed to be promoted to the post of assistant director according to the seniority published by the department, but they were not promoted. The official, who did not wish to be named, said that although they have received the verdict from the court's Administrative Appellate Tribunal, the authorities are yet to implement the verdict. Where the authorities are supposed to fill up the vacant posts on their own initiative, their silence is causing anger among the departmental staff.

Nagarik-Sujan Secretary for good governance regarding the irregularities of the disaster directorate, which has not been promoted for a long time. Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar told Barta24com that non-promotion of officials in government jobs is a regular complaint. In order to get promotion, the people preferred by the political party are ahead, as a result, the talented are deprived, according to Badiul Alam.

According to this eminent citizen, there are no new people entering the ranks unless there are regular promotions; new people do not create things like new ideas, new work incentives or innovations. And if there are old ones there is no pace of work or new action plan and motivation.

He also said that if the same official stays in one place for a long time, there are complaints of irregularities and corruption. Because when an officer stays in one place for a long time, roots grow and relationships with people are formed, which helps to commit misdeeds. I don't understand how to give someone additional responsibility in multiple positions without giving them new opportunities.

Director General of Disaster Management Directorate Rezwanur Hossain said to Barta24com, "I am new in charge, I will investigate the issues and take action later."

On the question of whether the recruitment rules of the directorate's officers and employees are being followed, he said, 'We are looking at the matter of following the recruitment rules seriously. We have already sent our organogram to the ministry for revision.'

To a question about one person holding several positions without regular promotion, he said, 'We are looking into all the issues.' After that, the official hung up saying 'I am going to a meeting'.

The anti-discrimination student movement said that Tk. 9 crore 91 lakh 51 thousand 213 collected in the public relief program for the flood victims at Dhaka University (DU) TSC has been saved in two bank accounts. Of this, Tk. 8 crore  will be deposited in the Chief Adviser's Relief Fund. The rest of the money will be spent on people in the flood-hit districts of North Bengal.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, gave this information at a press conference at TSC on Tuesday (October 1).

Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah said that Tk. 8 crore of public relief will be deposited in the Chief Adviser's relief fund through the relief ministry. The remaining Tk. 1 crore 91 lakh rupees will be spent for the people in the flood affected districts of North Bengal. He also said that the relief program will start tomorrow.

Earlier, Auditor Golam Fazlul Kabir said that funds of Tk. 11 crore 69 lakh 84 thousand 420 were collected. Out of this cash comes to Tk. 9 crore 85 lakh 15 thousand 425. The rest of the money comes through mobile banking, prize bonds, dollars and other means.

Out of this Tk. 1 crore 78 lakh 33 thousand 207 has been spent. And currently there are Tk. 9 crore 91 lakh 51 thousand 213 taka in two accounts of the bank, he said.

He said that the audit work started from September 10 and ended on September 20. Only financial audits have been done during this period. Goods & Garments and noncash audit was not possible.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is working on the pricing formula of jet fuel. Chairman Jalal Ahmed said that if any party brings an application, the price will be determined through public hearing.

BERC Chairman also told Barta24.com that Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has fixed the rates in coordination with the Division of Energy and Mineral Resources. Two officials of that organization were called and discussed about their formula. Our officers will also go to BPC to look into the matter.

The price of jet fuel, which is known as aircraft fuel, has been fixed through the notification of the executive department. An order by the Division of Energy and Mineral Resources on September 18 asked BERC to fix the rates. The order said that BERC will fix the price of jet fuel from October, since then the matter has come to the fore.

Fawzul Kabir Khan, the Adviser on power, energy and mineral resources of the interim government, said on the first day of office, that the price of electricity and gas will not be fixed by executive order. He has kept that word, having already canceled the price adjustment clause in the executive order. But the Energy Regulatory Commission is quite uncomfortable due to lack of regulations.

BERC was established as a neutral and quasi-judicial autonomous body through the Energy Regulatory Commission Act in 2003. BERC was originally formed in 2009 to ensure accountability and consumer rights of gas and electricity distribution companies. So far 13 regulations have been formulated. Another 12 regulations have been suspended by the ministry for more than a century.

BERC has been fixing the prices of gas and electricity only due to pending regulations, although the law has given it the authority to fix the prices of all types of fuel. In 2023, the law was suddenly amended to include provisions for price adjustments (lower/higher) in executive orders. Since then, the Regulatory Commission has become virtually jobless as gas and electricity prices are fixed by executive orders.

As BERC finalizes prices through public hearings, various inconsistencies of utilities come to the fore. This created a kind of pressure on them, which was becoming a culture day by day. The Awami League government strangled that process. However, the interim government (August 27) issued a gazette repealing the Electricity and Gas Price Fixing Act by executive order. Through this, BERC has regained the sole power to fix electricity and gas prices at the consumer level.

However, due to the non-approval of petroleum regulations, the price of fuel oil is being determined through a notification. The Department of Energy and Mineral Resources adjusted the price of diesel, petrol and octane last month as well. The Act states that BERC will determine the price of all types of energy. Section 34(3) states that BERC shall make regulations. Provided that the Government may, by notification, prescribe until the regulations are made. BERC could not do anything about fuel oil as regulations were pending.

BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed told Barta24.com that the regulations have been submitted to the ministry even before I joined. I insisted on approving these after joining. However, the issue of merging the three separate regulations (distribution, transmission and retail sale) of fuel oil has come to the fore. We sent 3 together. Hope to get approval soon.

Barrister Khalilur Rahman, Secretary of BERC, told Barta24.com that legally there is no obstacle in fixing the price of jet fuel by BERC. And since the executive department has said, then there is no more talk.

There will be no crisis if there are no regulations. In response to such a question, BERC secretary said, the law says that if there is a precedent, we can do it. BERC is fixing gas prices even before the rules are approved, after the rules are approved. Again, although the rules of LPG are not final, the price of LPG is being announced from April 2021 by the order of the court. Every month the price is announced in coordination with the international market.

The issue of LPG rates came up through a writ petition by CAB. BERC was made a respondent along with the ministry in the aggrieved CAB writ. In response to the court's complaint, BERC then said it could not do so because there were no regulations. BERC was accused of contempt of court by not accepting the reply. BERC was then forced to start fixing the price of LPG.

Cab senior vice president and energy advisor Dr. Shamsul Alam told Barta24.com that BERC can set jet fuel prices without regulations. They can do so in light of the draft regulations they prepared in 2012. There will be a reminder of the rules mentioned. They have not approved the LPG regulations, since there is no problem in announcing the price of LPG, there will be no problem here either.