The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started probing the allegations against 10 top officials including General Manager (GM), Deputy General Manager (DGM) and Manager level officials of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), who have been serving as Project Director of different projects under the state-owned authority.
Meanwhile, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the Power and Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has already conducted an administrative investigation against those officials.
In the internal probe, the authority has found irregularities and corruption in appointing contractor for the logistics supply, procurement of logistics for the survey and employing workforces for the works, according to the report this correspondent contains in hands.
According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division officials, they are likely to take necessary administrative actions against those who were found guilty for irregularities and corruptions.
When contacted, Senior Secretary to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Mahbub Hossain over phone and through SMS, he has not responded.
The GMs and DGMs are- GM Mizanur Rahman, project director of Rupokalpo-3, DGMs Meherul Hasan, project director of 3D Seismic Survey Project of BAPEX, Sabiha Akter Khanam, project director of 2D Seismic Survey Project of BAPEX, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, project director of Rupokalpo-1, Jahurul Islam, project director of the Rupokalpo-2, Bazlur Rahman, project director of Rupokalpo-4, Moinul Hossain, project director of 3D Seismic Survey Exploration of Block 3b, 6b and 7 and Abdur Rouf, project director of various workover and drilling rig procurement projects.
The managers are- Tofayel Ahmed Sikder, project director of Rupokalpo-5 and Tariqul islam, project director of Rupokalpo-9 (2D Seismic Survey).
ACC Assistant Director Muhammad Shihab Salam has been investigating the allegations brought against the 10 project director for their alleged involvement with various irregularities in procurement and employing workforces for the seismic survey for exploring mineral resources for the country.
According to the ACC and BAPEX sources, the accused officials have already submitted necessary documents of the project to the ACC investigator responding to his notice.
Meanwhile, the Power and Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has already started its procedures of taking administrative actions against the officials who were blamed for the irregularities and corruptions.
According to the documents, DGMs Meherul Hasan, project director of 3D Seismic Survey Project of BAPEX, has been working to explore mineral resources at 10 separate locations. Of the places, some are very small while some are too large for the Seismic Survey. But, he had appointed similar number of employees and transports - 1,200 persons - in all spots for the work for every day in all seasons.
According to the allegations, Meherul Islam has bought logistics materials and equipments of Tk 248 crore for the works against its total allocation of Tk 250 crore. But, all logistics materials and equipments were bought from a single contractor - the Arneeb Enterprise.
