Two More Cases Filed with 'Janatar Adalat' in Ctg
'Bangladesh ranks first in corruption due to graft by ruling party men'
Our Correspondent, Chittagong
The 'Janatar Adalat' (people's court), set up by the Chittagong unit of Awami League-led 14-party opposition combine, heard two more cases against 15 people, including the prime minister, on its second day yesterday.Advocate Ratan Kumar Roy and Engineer Md Delwar Hossain Majumder filed the cases. They held the 15 people responsible for widespread corruption and acute water crisis in the port city. Eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain appeared for the plaintiffs while Advocate Abul Hashem and Advocate Sheikh Iftekhar Saimul Chowdhury assisted him. Pleading the case, the prosecution lawyers and witness urged a public investigation into the widespread corruption of the ruling alliance. Advocate Ratan filed the corruption case against Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman, LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed, Commerce Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, Education Minister Dr Osman Farruq, Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, State Minister for Land and Power Ukil Abdus Sattar, Home Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar, former sate minister for power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP Tarique Rahman and Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz. In his case, Advocate Ratan, general secretary of Chittagong Bar Association, alleged that Bangladesh has been ranked as the most corrupt country in the world due to the ruling party's corruption in nine sectors. He also alleged that around 75 percent of foreign loans has been embezzled in the last five years. Former pro-vice chancellor of Chittagong University Prof Dr Abu Yusuf Alam gave his deposition as the witness of the case. In the other case, Engineer Delwar Hossain held the LGRD minister, LGRD secretary and Chittagong Wasa chairman responsible for the acute water crisis in the port city. He said the Chittagong Wasa supplies 16.2 crore litres of water a day while the demand stands at 52.5 crore litres. It has also failed to develop any sewerage system in the city in the last 43 years since its establishment in 1963, he alleged. After the hearing, the court took both cases into cognisance and adjourned the court until 3:00pm today. Journalist Kamal Lohani, Chittagong Bar Association President Advocate Khairul Islam, former president Advocate Shafiqul Islam and former general secretary Advocate Anwar Kabir Chowdhury were on the panel of judges.
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