Govt initiates probe into graft in model mosque construction

The government has constituted a committee to probe the alleged corruption in construction of model mosques.

"The Ministry of Religious Affairs has formed a committee, which will investigate the irregularities in construction of the mosques," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Thursday, March 13.

Shafiqul said there was a huge corruption in the mosque building while around Tk 15 to 17 crore was spent in construction of each model mosque.

If there were no irregularities in the mosque construction during the deposed Awami League regime, it would have been possible to build each mosque at cost of Tk 7 to 8 crore, he said.

The press secretary said it was told that the model mosques were built receiving fund from Saudi Arabia, but thing was that the mosques were constructed spending public money.

Depicting the nature of graft, he said a model mosque was built near a resort of a minister of the fallen government, violating rules.

Replying to a query, he said the probe body will reveal how corruption was committed to the mosque construction.

Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad also present at the briefing.

Source: BSS