2024-09-07 07:17:05
Recently, the ACC has accused foreign cadre officers of corruption. The news regarding this complaint against the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs working in various embassies has been published in the media.
The Bangladesh Foreign Service Association (BFSA) issued a statement on Thursday (September 5) in this regard, citing allegations of alleged ‘corruption’.
The BSFA said in the statement that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Bangladesh Foreign Service Association (BFSA) has come to the attention of a news recently published in the media by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) about the alleged ‘corruption’ of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs working in various embassies of Bangladesh.
Reviewing the content of the news, it can be seen that the alleged complaints are mainly related to audit objections; Official audit objections, which are under process and which are related to pension of officials and identified in the audit report, are not acceptable to inform as ‘corruption’.
In this, it is said, the news quoted a senior official of the ACC as saying that ‘there is information against these officials of acquiring a large amount of illegal wealth in the name of themselves and their families in the country and abroad through abuse of power, corruption and various irregularities.’ There is no truth to such allegations. However, if the Anti-Corruption Commission takes any action against any officer based on any objective information as per law, we will have our cooperation and support. Audit is a regular process of government to check whether the expenditure of the government has been carried out in accordance with the relevant financial regulations. At the end of the audit, the auditors submit their comments, in view of which the concerned officers/offices present their comments and responsibility is determined jointly by both.
The statement also said that every department of the government is under the purview of audit. If any employee/officer owes audit fee, it must be returned to the public treasury. If an officer fails to pay this amount, the amount is deducted from his pension. Therefore, there is no scope for terming official audit objections as ‘corruption’. Financial legislation has been enacted in many cases over the years without considering the realities abroad, resulting in audit objections by embassy officials/employees. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regularly holds meetings with the Auditor General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance in this regard.
It is said that the letter which is being reported by the ACC has not been received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so far. We expect the ACC authorities to investigate how this sensitive letter was published in the media. Many of those whose names are mentioned in this letter ended their careers with dignity. All their audit objections have been settled and they are enjoying pension. Many are still employed in important positions. The fact that the ACC has sought information through this letter and it has been published in the media, there is scope for creating misconceptions in the public mind. As a result, negative perception may be created in the public mind about the foreign cadre and the ministry along with the loss of honor of the responsible persons. Due to this, it is natural to create obstacles in the performance of their current important duties, as a result of which the work of the government and the image of the country have also been damaged. After all, making such sweeping comments without any concrete evidence is also unacceptable in the eyes of law. The officers of the foreign cadre feel that legal action will be taken against the concerned officers/employees of the Anti-Corruption Commission who have gone beyond the existing legal framework and indulged in such an unacceptable act.
The statement also said, Bangladesh Foreign Service Association is informing everyone in unequivocal terms that in the new political situation achieved through the sacrifice of countless martyrs in the anti-discrimination student movement, the diplomats employed in the foreign service, like the entire nation, are serving Bangladesh with the utmost sincerity, dedication and professionalism. Working for the development and prosperity of Bangladesh as a dedicated guardian of the entire national interest.