Former ADG Begum Rokeya was recently transferred to the auditor general's office at the communications secretary's request and departmental proceedings were initiated against her on five counts of financial irregularities, Auditor General Asif Ali told the Public Accounts Committee yesterday.

Rokeya allegedly misbehaved with the audit team, declined it access to documents when she was the additional director general (finance) of the railway division and indulged in irregularities and acted beyond her brief in previous offices.

As the auditor general's office launched departmental action against the officer, the Public Accounts Committee of the Jatiya Sangsad did not discuss the issue in detail yesterday.

The auditor general lodged an appeal with the parliamentary body on July 7 seeking its protection against violation of constitutional rights of his office by the railway division.

Asif has already sent a letter to Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman expressing his concern over the issue.

The office of the auditor general has prepared a list of alleged corruption by Rokeya who is now deputy comptroller and auditor general (reserve).

Rokeya violated the constitution as she herself disposed of four audit reports ignoring the approval of the Public Accounts Committee and the auditor general, the allegations say.

The constitution has empowered the parliamentary body to dispose of all pending audit objections, but Rokeya as the director general of post and telecommunications (audit) exercised their power without legal authority.

Rokeya as the senior finance controller (army) released 13 officials for not rebating vat amounting to Tk 66 lakh to contractors.

As the additional director general of the railway division, she gave approval for the purchase of two vehicles violating her legal jurisdiction.

On the non-cooperation of the ADG of the railway division, Communications Secretary Shafiqul Islam told the meeting that they had nothing to do with the officer.

"We don't have administrative control over officials coming from the audit cadre," a meeting source quoted the secretary as saying.

The parliamentary body urged all ministries to cooperate with the auditor general's office and give them access to necessary documents.

"The committee will send its resolution to all ministries asking for cooperation to the auditor general's office," Advocate Harun Al Rashid, chairman of the committee, told The Daily Star.

The committee also discussed some audit objections to the railway division.