Jumbangla Desk: Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas was allotted a petrol Nishan car as per his authority as the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). He left the country on August 2 during the anti-discrimination student movement but did not surrender the car. It has been alleged that the DSCC has resorted to the process of exonerating former mayor Tapas without following legal procedures to recover the vehicle. On behalf of the organization, a notification letter has been given to the Local Government Department of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.
The Secretary of the Local Government Department of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives on September 2, Chief Executive Officer of DSCC. This notification letter signed by Mizanur Rahman was given.
In one part of the letter, it is mentioned that the anti-discrimination student movement reached its peak in the month of July-August. A curfew was imposed in the country. The office-court was closed by government order. The traffic of vehicles and people stopped on the road. At one stage when the office was opened, all the drivers of the transport department were contacted and it was known that all the vehicles were safely in the office; But attempts were made to contact the driver of the mayor's car but his whereabouts could not be found. Later, when the driver was contacted on August 8, he said that the mayor's house was attacked. The driver left the car at the mayor's residence. The driver has no idea what happened next. Later, a DSCC official went to Tapas' house to fetch the car. He found the vehicle damaged by fire—so the Chief Executive Officer of DSCC informed the Secretary of the Local Government Department through a letter.
An officer of the legal wing of DSCC said that any officer who leaves the place after getting the car will have to surrender the car to the agency. If the company does not receive the vehicle on time, it will issue a notice to the officer asking for the vehicle to be returned. In case of non-return, a show-cause notice shall be given to him. Even if the vehicle is not returned, a general diary should be filed with the local police station and further legal action should be taken. It is alleged that the DSCC authority has given such a letter with the intention of exonerating former mayor Tapas without taking these legal measures.
However, the chief executive officer of DSCC has denied the initiative of immunity. Mizanur Rahman. He said, I have informed the ministry. We will take action according to the decision given by the ministry.
Asked whether he had written a letter asking for the return of the car or filed a general diary at the police station before giving the notification letter to the ministry, he said, "No letter was given asking for the return of the car, nor was a general diary filed at the police station."
It is known that the city corporation did not have a driver to drive the Tapas car. Because Tapas is his personal driver. He used to drive the car with Zakir Hossain. Former mayor Tapas broke the rules here too.
The driver of the car. Zakir Hossain said, 'I dropped Sir (Tapas) at the airport (Hajarat Shahjalal International Airport) before evening on August 2 and left the car at his Banani residence and went to my house. I don't know what happened next.'
A perusal of evidence shows that the petrol Nishan vehicle (Dhaka Metto G 15-4783) allocated in favor of former Mayor Tapas was supplied to DSCC in 2016 by Pragati Industries Limited. The black color car made in Japan is priced at 5 crore rupees. The vehicle was registered on December 7, 2016. This seven seater has engine number VK56190676A, chassis number JN1TANY62Z0035041, weight 3500 kg.
Citizen for good governance (Sujan) editor. Badiul Alam Majumder said in this regard, the car should have been explained to the company before leaving the country. If the vehicle is damaged by time as it is in the possession of Tapas, it is his responsibility.
