Dhaka, Aug 3 (bdnews24.com)—Allegations of massive irregularities have been levelled at former housing and law adviser Mainul Hosein by a parliamentary panel which says he had misused his office mostly to favour his family.
The head of the all-party parliamentary probe body, formed by the standing committee on housing and public works on June 25, said on Monday that Hosein's son, Arshad, had occupied a house in Gulshan and turned it into a restaurant violating government rules.
Hosein had directly intervened when city developer RAJUK had tried to take action against his son.
Arshad had set up a restaurant in Gulshan-1 (CSE-G, plot-1), said Nasrul Hamid Bipu, an Awami League MP and convenor of the probe body, at a press conference after a meeting at parliament building.
The former adviser to military-backed interim government had also allocated 158 plots of the Khulna Development Authority and 459 plots in Kushtia Housing Estate "in violation of the government rules", alleged Bipu.
Hosein trashed the allegations. "Let them prove the allegations."
"Bangladesh is yet to give birth to a person worthy of proving corruption charges against me," he told bdnews24.com.
Bipu said the probe body would hold two or three meetings to finalise and submit the charges against Hosein to the parliamentary standing committee on housing and public works ministry for final decisions.
He, however, said his committee would suggest that the standing committee recommend legal actions against Hosein.
"We have received innumerable corruption charges against former adviser Mainul Hosein.
"He while serving as adviser misused his authority to help his son and wife for gains," Bipu told reporters at parliament's media centre.
The committee chief said Arshad illegally grabbed the house of Rizia Mannan and Fazle Mannan in Gulshan and made it a commercial entity—Mantra and Steak House—without RAJUK's permission.
"RAJUK could not demolish the building as his adviser father Mainul Hosein directly intervened," said Bipu.
"In addition, the son also constructed the Musafir Tower in Kakrail in flagrant breach of the RAJUK guidelines."
Hosein however said that the tower had been built much before he became adviser.
Bipu said Hosein also allocated public land to 'a private university' in Mirpur "in violation of the government rules". He would not name the university.
The Awami League MP said due to the former adviser's "arbitrary decision", the ship-breaking workers were employed in the demolition of the Rangs Bhaban, leading to the death of 13 innocent people.
"Their deaths must be investigated," he said.
Hosein is the second adviser to the immediate-past caretaker government, which came to power pledging elimination of corruption, to face graft charges.
Former shipping adviser M A Matin is the first to face corruption charges.
Both Hosein and Matin were very critical of the politicians after the announcement of the state of emergency on Jan 11, 2007.
MPs from both the Awami League and the main opposition BNP have demanded in parliament that the persons involved in the declaration of the state of emergency and violation of the constitution are tried.
Asaduzzaman Khan, Jahirul Haque Bhuiyan Mohan and Enamul Haque and the BNP's Lutfar Rahman are the other members of the enquiry committee on Hosein.
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