Officials and employees visit secretary's mother out of 'concern': Minister
Officials and employees of the fisheries and livestock ministry called upon the secretary's mother out of care and concern as she was suffering from coronavirus.
Fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim said this on Tuesday, while talking to Prothom Alo.
Fisheries and livestock ministry secretary Raunak Mahmud's mother has been undergoing treatment for coronavirus at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital.
Private television channel, Channel 24, reported that 24 officials and employees of the ministry and affiliated departments had been given the duty to take care of her medical treatment. They had to carry out this duty in shifts for three days.
After this news leaked out, the issue was strongly criticised on social media.
Secretary Raunak Mahmud refuted the report saying some of them had gone to visit her.
SM Rezaul Karim, speaking about the matter, told Prothom Alo, "The secretary told me his mother had been admitted to hospital in a critical state. He himself was unwell with dengue. Under the circumstances, several officers of the ministry went to call upon his mother out of concern. Instead of crowding the place, they took turns in visiting her."
The minister said, "I asked the secretary if any officials had been told to do this duty by rotation. He said that this was absolutely untrue. He had not told anyone anything officially, let alone carry out duty by rotation."
The minister said that the secretary told him that no one will be able to show any letter issued by the ministry in this regard. If any letter had been issued, there would have been a signature, a memo number, a date. There was nothing of the sort. He said there must have been a misunderstanding.
The minister did not respond when asked if an inquiry would be made into the matter.
When contacted, an official of the ministry on Tuesday said that no such order or directive had been issued by the ministry about any such duty. However, perhaps someone had been over enthusiastic and made an unofficial list for the purpose.
He said normally when someone senior falls ill or is in any trouble, the subordinate officials and employees call upon him. The mother of their secretary was undergoing treatment in ICU.
Channel 24 had reported that the officers and employees had been asked to carry out the duty by rotation on 23, 24 and 25 August. They even began to do so.
The secretary's personal secretary Azizul Islam had coordinated the duties of the 24 officials and employees. Attempts were made to reach Azizul Islam over mobile phone but he did not reply to the calls.