JS panel calls for zero tolerance on financial irregularities

The committee delivered the directives on Sunday (November 8) during its eighth meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, presided over by Committee Chairman and Chief Whip of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad Nurul Islam Moni. Committee members including Whip Miah Nuruddin Ahammed Apu, Whip Md Akhtaruzzaman Miah, and Members of Parliament Mst Tahsina Rushdir, Khondokar Abu Ashfaq, and Mustafizur Rahman Bhuiyan attended the meeting.

To combat trade misinvoicing, the committee urged the adoption of international platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to prevent over-invoicing and under-invoicing in import-export operations. It further recommended automating customs duty payments and expediting cargo release via e-billing and e-payment systems to enhance port efficiency and transparency.

The committee expressed strong dissatisfaction over port authorities investing Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDR) in troubled private commercial banks, non-withdrawal of matured funds, and policy-violating excess investments. It recommended initiating effective discussions with the relevant banks, pursuing necessary legal steps, and taking departmental action against responsible individuals while advising that all future port authority funds be deposited strictly in state-owned banks.

The meeting reviewed compliance audit reports for the 2020-2021 fiscal year of Chittagong Port Authority and Mongla Port Authority, assessing pending audit objections regarding recoveries, adjustments, write-offs, remissions, regularisations, and retrospective approvals. The panel also reviewed implementation progress on decisions from previous meetings following recommendations by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Additionally, the committee recommended clearing long-pending auctionable containers and vehicles at Chittagong Port by December. It requested a progress report at the next meeting identifying individuals involved in smuggling laden containers disguised as empty ones and container theft, demanding administrative action against them.

Discussions also addressed dredging operations, draft and navigability maintenance, container terminal construction, and proper fund utilization at Mongla, Payra, and Chittagong ports, urging independent investigations to settle related audit objections. The panel further condemned the unauthorized disbursement of special incentive bonuses from port funds to ministry and agency personnel, demanding legal and departmental action against those responsible for wasting public money.