The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested detailed information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning 38 officials and employees at Bangladesh embassies across ten countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain stated on Wednesday that the Ministry will provide assistance once it is confirmed whether the complaints relate to corruption or audit objections.

The request, sent by the ACC’s Coordinated District Office Dhaka-1 on Tuesday, seeks comprehensive details about the officials, including their current and previous workplaces, positions, and addresses.

The deadline for the Ministry to submit this information is September 10.

The ACC's inquiry covers Bangladeshi embassies and high commissions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, China, Dubai, Italy, Switzerland, and the Philippines.

About 38 officials, adviser Touhid said that he first became aware of the situation through today's newspaper and believes there may be some misunderstandings that need to be clarified.

He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between audit objections and actual corruption.

He illustrated his point with a personal experience where an audit objection was raised against him. In this case, a vehicle was purchased for the Kolkata mission, and a smaller one was bought in Delhi at a lower price.

An advance payment was made to an agent for vehicle booking. The complaint questioned this payment and whether it could be recovered, he pointed out.

Touhid explained that the audit director was informed that such advance payments are standard practice for vehicle bookings.

He highlighted that audit objections can arise from such situations, and it's crucial to determine whether these objections are being wrongly interpreted as acts of corruption. He concluded by stating that further investigation will be conducted into the matter.

On cooperation with the ACC, Hossain assured, “We will fully cooperate and are committed to preventing any corruption. We will provide all necessary assistance and help determine if any corruption has occurred.”

When asked if there might be any misunderstanding regarding the matter, the Adviser responded, “I don’t believe there is room for misunderstanding, but I won’t make any definitive statements until I have reviewed each case thoroughly.”

He also addressed the issue of individuals potentially filing excessive cases against others, saying, “That can happen; it always does. There’s no need for undue concern about it.”

Regarding the return of certain Bangladeshi envoys, the Foreign Adviser noted, “All those on contract have been recalled.”

He elaborated, “This includes three former administrative cadre officers whose contracts were terminated on Tuesday. The rest have been given four weeks to return. Finding replacements will take some time; it needs to be done carefully and with consideration for experienced individuals.”

—