BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar has claimed to have evidence of 'unlimited corruption' of eight advisors to the interim government. He said that appointments to important posts and transfers are not made without communication with these advisors.

The retired secretary made the allegation at a seminar at the BIAM auditorium in the capital on Friday. Abdus Sattar, an 82nd batch officer of the BCS administration cadre, is currently the general secretary of the Officers Club and president of the Anti-Discrimination Employees Unity Forum.

The seminar titled 'Expectations of the July Mass Uprising and Public Administration of the Future' was organized by the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association, an organization of administrative cadres. The seminar began at 4 pm and ended at 7:30 pm. Almost all the top officials of the administrative cadre were present in the seminar.

Abdus Sattar said, "It is sad that even though Tk 200 crore is found in the account of an advisor's APS, no action is taken against him." He asked, "Can Nurjahan Begum run a ministry like the Ministry of Health? Is it right to run two important ministries like the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports with an inexperienced advisor?"

Abdus Sattar commented that corruption has not decreased in the past year after the fall of the Awami League government in the student uprising, but has increased compared to the past. He said that an assistant commissioner (land) asked for Tk 3 million to register a school's land. A UNO from the outskirts of Dhaka asked for Tk 2 million to approve the layout of a factory.

Abdus Sattar said, 'I sit in the office of a political party. After August 5 last year, thousands of officials and employees have been crowding the office. My boss Tarique Rahman called and said, "What is happening? Who are these people? Why do they come here?" I said, they are all deprived. They have been deprived for the last 15 years during Hasina's rule. After Hasina's fall, they have rushed to get justice. He said, "It is not a good sign for in-service officials to come to the party office. You forbid them from coming to the office." I have put up a notice at the office gate. No in-service official can come to the office. If there is any problem, come to the Officers' Club.'

He further said, "I am very disappointed. The character of the bureaucrats has either deteriorated or gone bad. But I can provide evidence of the unlimited corruption of at least eight advisors who sat on the chairs over the blood of the July Movement. The intelligence agencies have evidence of the corruption of eight advisors. But no action is being taken against anyone."

During the three-and-a-half-hour discussion at the seminar, various irregularities and corruption of the administrative cadre officials during the 15 and a half years of the previous government were raised. Some questioned how the officials worked as tools of the previous government. It was urged that the administrative cadre officials should not work for any political party in the future.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Advisor M Siraj Uddin Mia spoke as the chief guest at the seminar. The main discussant was Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan. Among others, Mokhles Ur Rahman, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Kaniz Maula, Secretary of the National Parliament Secretariat, Syeda Lasna Kabir, Professor of the Department of Public Administration, Dhaka University, and Shafiul Islam, Professor of the Department of Public Administration, Rajshahi University, spoke.

Other speakers included Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdh, brother of July Uprising martyr Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mughde, Ramzan Ali, brother of martyr Abu Sayeed, Sabrina Afroz Sebanti, sister of martyr Mahmudur Rahman Saikat, and Sanjida Khan Dipti, mother of martyr Shahriar Khan Anas. The keynote address was presented by Secretary of the Public Service Commission Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan. The seminar was presided over by Nazrul Islam, President of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association.