Use of assoc fund to pay bribe for Tk 20cr bar bldg project
Discontent runs high among lawyers of Rajshahi court
RASHID RUSHO, Rajshahi
Discontent runs high among lawyers of Rajshahi Court over the use of a small portion of fund of Rajshahi Advocate Bar Association (RABA) to pay in speed money for a project involving around Tk 20 crore to construct a multi-storey building for the district bar association.
However, president of Rajshahi Advocate Bar Association has refuted the allegation, saying the accusation is baseless.
During Law Minister Anisul Huqs recent visit to Rajshahi, the district bar executives requested him to help construct a bar building for the lawyers. The minister assured them of allocating fund for the construction of a 10-storey building.
Following the visit, members of the incumbent executive committee of RABA in a special general meeting of lawyers held on August 16 proposed to draw money from the association fund to be spent on the persuasion of approval of the project. The executive committee finally passed the decision to withdraw Tk 400,000 to Tk 500,000 for this purpose with a large number of lawyers staging walkout.
The decision has caused frustration among a number of RABA members, resulting in dissatisfaction and discontent, said lawyers.
Ershad Ali Isha, a senior lawyer of Rajshahi court, said all lawyers of Rajshahi want the bar building to be constructed but transparency in association fund expenditure is badly needed.
He said since the building will be constructed with the help of government fund, use of association money to pay bribe to expedite the construction is unfortunate. He termed the use of association money for paying kickbacks illegal and plundering. Advocate Helal Ahmed, audit secretary of RABA, said executive committee in a meeting decided to spend a certain amount of money for the purpose of persuasion as the work involves a large amount of money.
But Ahmed rejected the allegation that a handsome amount of money has already been withdrawn from association fund in this connection.
Advocate Lokman Ali, president of RABA, said credit goes to the incumbent committee that it has been able to convince the government to construct a multi-storey building demolishing the dilapidated and hazardous court house.
Ali also said there has been no infrastructure development in Rajshahi court premises since 1862. He alleged that vested quarters, who do not want any development of Rajshahi bar, are trying to create troubles by making misleading remarks.
Ali also said the executive committee does not want the Tk 20 crore infrastructure project to be withdrawn and decided to sanction a certain amount of money from the association fund for the purpose of persuasion.
Another senior lawyer, who does not want to be named, said there has been a necessity of persuasion in performing any job in government offices but the use of money especially the association fund is unfortunate. We can involve local political leaders who are also lawyers of Rajshahi court for such act of persuasion, added the senior lawyer.
The senior lawyer mentioned if it is unavoidable to get the job done without the use of money, the lawyers should create a separate fund for the purpose. But the association fund should not be used to pay bribes to get the job done, he clarified.
