Titas Gas provides salary to 'dead', 'retired' security guards
Sohel Rana used to work as a security guard in Key Point Installations of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company. He does not work here since 2013. Still, his salary and allowances have been sent to his bank account all these years. An investigation revealed that a person named Jakaria Masud worked illegally using Sohel Rana’s name but he received his salary in cash.
Prothom Alo found out 37 such people who bagged jobs of ‘security guard’ of Titas Gas by bribing Tk 90,000 to 300,000 to Titas officials.
Jakaria Masud admitted he has been working in the guise of Sohel Rana, but he received a much less salary.
“I got this job through a person in Titas office. I spent Tk 80,000 to get this job. I had no idea that I was given this job in name of Sohel Rana. I found out Sohel Rana’s name while signing the roster two days after joining. I later went to the contractor company (Messrs Panther Security) Titas office many times. I also went to Masum sir’s (Titas’ current company secretary and deputy general manager at that time Lutful Haider Masum) house and office. But everyone suggested I work silently. They assured me there would be no problem. People know me as Sohel Rana for the last eight years.”
In the same way, a person named Al Amin has been working under the guise of Ibrahim Khalil who died many years ago.
“I got the job bribing a person named Jahangir Tk 90,000. I raised objections many times that why I should work masquerading another person while I got this job spending so much money. But they didn’t change my name,” Al Amin said.
At least 20 security guards told Prothom Alo that they managed jobs by bribing people related to Titas. A person said he bribed Tk 300,000 to get the job and heard later that the Panther Security and Titas officials took the money. The security guards said they submitted their national ID cards and pictures while joining the job but those were not used. They were recruited as guards who died, went abroad or retired.
As per law, candidates for Titas Gas’ security guard posts have to submit a CV, educational qualification certificates, national ID cards and a certificate from the union parishad chairman. Police verification is also required for such a job.
Two officials of Titas Gas said the company secretary and the then deputy general manager Lutful Haider himself suggested a probe committee is formed after the matter started to come to the fore. The committee is headed by the then general manager of installation of pre-paid gas meter for TGTDCL Faizar Rahman. The committee’s scope of work, however, did not include probing any financial anomalies.
The two officials said there was an effort to cover up the probe report for a long time. Those who are working under the names of others were instructed to remain absent for some time.
Messrs Panther Security Services supplied manpower to Titas through outsourcing. The probe committee suggested blacklisting the company for corruption. Panther Security, however, claimed they have done everything with the knowledge of Titas officials.
State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told Prothom Alo, “This is a serious allegation. I was not informed about it. I’ve instructed the energy division to recruit security guards following proper procedure.”
He said stern action would be taken against those who are responsible.
What does the probe report say?
The probe committee found out that 37 or more unauthorised persons are working as security guards at different key point installations of Titas Gas. The committee said the security division of Titas Gas has forwarded the bills provided by Panther Security Services to the recruitment department for disbursement without any evaluation. No action was taken although this malpractice continued for a long time.
The security department is one of the most important sections of Titas Gas. This department takes care of the manpower designated to ensure the security of KPIs of Titas Gas. A thorough investigation of the security department reveals that such anomalies have been going on for over five years. They endorsed the signature of ‘fake’ security officials all that years. The probe committee said endorsing the attendance sheets of security guards without proper evaluation is an example of grave negligence.
The committee also said Panther Security Services violated different provisions of the contract. They did not inform the security department of recruiting others in place of the security guards who left the job. The committee said Panther Security Services should be blacklisted for resorting to forgery.
The probe committee’s head Faizar Rahman told Prothom Alo, “I’ve brought out the truth for sake of the organisation. Some people were recruited for security years ago. Some other people withdrew salaries in name of those people. We have found the veracity of allegations in field visits. None cared about how they received bills. The government has incurred losses due to this. It’s grave negligence to give the charge of security of KPIs to outsiders.”
Who signed the bills?
A total of 14 officials signed and endorsed the attendance sheets of those security guards. They are Titas’ then general manager Abdul Hakim, deputy general manager (retired) Amirul Asgar Khan, deputy general managers Main Uddin, Lutful Haider, Abu Saleh Mahmud, managers Shah Md Al Mahmud, Mizanur Rahman, Abdus Salam Sarder, Sayef Uddin, manager (deputy manager at that time) Fazlul Haque, deputy manager Mesbahul Alam, assistant managers Shamsul Haque (retired), Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil and assistant officer Karimul Haque.
Among these officials, Luftul Haider was in charge of the security department for the longest period.
He told Prothom Alo, “I came to know about it while visiting various KPIs. I didn’t have any prior knowledge.”
He said the Panther Security Services did not inform him that they have changed the security guards.
Panther Security, however, maintains it is not possible to recruit any security guards without permission from Titas.
The company’s director Kamruzzaman Dulal told Prothom Alo, “We can never recruit to Titas on our own. We have recruited only the people suggested by Titas officials.”
He said that they recruited the security guards as per the lists provided by the Titas officials.
Kamruzzaman said their contractor firm is no more active.
Asked about the corruption, Transparency International Bangladesh’s executive director Iftekharuzzaman told Prothom Alo that such corruption took place through a nexus among Titas, contractor firms and banks.
“Titas is among the government body which is out and out immersed in corruption. We urge The Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the whole incident,” Iftekharuzzaman added.