Some Questions to Dr. Fakhruddin?

Deshi Voice has found the following questions in the discussion group. They're logical questions to ask the Army backed Caretaker Government of Bangladesh. If these questions are not answered or addressed, they will definitely grow over time along with public resentment. So, if you meet Dr. Fakhruddin, why won't you ask him to answer these questions?

1. Money laundering, rather siphoning money to overseas by BNP – Jamat leaders, prominently Tarek Zia reached its height when you were the Governor of Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank of Bangladesh). The Financial Management Unit (FMU) of Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) which looks after Money Laundering issues wrote to your office enquiring about the source of the huge amount of money that was transferred by Mr. Tareq Zia to Malaysia. Apparently, there was a total silence from your office in the first place; subsequently, an answer was sent to them that the Bangladesh Bank was satisfied that the money was from a legal source.

   How do you justify your role in this matter ? You knew about money laundering that was going on at that time. Why were you silent ? Why did you not resign your post ? On the contrary, you were seen to support BNP-Jamat corrupt regime wholeheartedly? You did not open your mouth during the first caretaker government time (soon after BNP –Jamat alliances handed over the power), nor did you speak out in many seminars you attended on financial accountability after your tenure? How do you justify that your high moral ground now is real?

2. In the last 9 months, you have not given a single media interview except with foreign media. What was the reason for you not to appear at any interview with Bangladeshi media - print or electronic? Does this mean you undermine the local media outlets specially when media in Bangladesh has been mostly bludgeoned into submission through intimidation and censorship (examples include - concerted intimidation of the media by army personnel, the very well-documented beatings of journalists, warning to two private channels for broadcasting events following the Dhaka University crisis, public warning by Law Advisor against media, the recent arrest of a cartoonist, and the talk-show “guidelines” handed down by the military government to television channels).

3. Do you feel embarrassed as Chief Advisor when the Army Chief keeps on making comments, statements and suggestions on hard core political and economic issues, which are clearly beyond his area of expertise and responsibility? How do you justify that there is no dual government--- rather a military government with civil stooges in the front line? An interesting example of the military supremacy is that during the recent flood, General Moeen opened a relief fund called the Army Chief Relief Fund while you also have a relief fund. The queue of people donating money to the Moeen fund was shown in TV many times, while the fund called Chief Adviser’s Relief Fund was sort of absent from the TV camera. Tradition in Bangladesh says that the Head of Government (Prime Minister’s) Relief Fund receives all prominence and business, civil society, and even military would as a general practice contribute to that fund. Vested interest groups prefer the military fund to your fund, as your puppet role seems to be visible to everyone. Any comment?

4. You have said echoing the Military Chief that no one was above law when it comes to combating corruption. Can you tell the following please?
   
    Why the 11 advisers were not asked to submit their wealth statement? Are they immune to any legal challenges?

    Can you ask Professor Yunus to submit his wealth statement, including his overseas account details?

    Why Jamat leaders remain largely out of the anti-corruption drive? Can you investigate into the tax return and wealth statement of Jamat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee? What about his extortion of money from local and foreign sources? What about his non-submission of tax return and declaration of wealth and funds that he has accumulated during the 5 + years? Did you know he was traveling all over the world in the name of preaching Islam and collecting donation for Jamat?

    Did you check on the source of funding of Jamat?

    Why have you been silent on the activities of the Islamic Banks (Islamic Bank, Shah Jalal Bank etc; Islamic Insurance companies and Islamic NGOs—a lot has been written about them and you must be aware of their source of funding and activities).

    Why have been silent about the arms smuggled into Bangladesh, apparently under the patronage of Nijami?

    Are you willing and able to find out a little about the tax return history of Barrister Moinul Hossain, Tapan Chowdhury etc?

    Are you able to say why the extra judicial killing during Mr. Anwarul Iqbal’s (one of your cabinet members) time as the Chief of the underground killing machine (Rapid Armed Battalion- or RAB) will not be investigated?

    Are you able to probe into the business of General Matin and his wife (ex-employee of Bangladesh Biman–airline)?

    Are you able to say why the former Chief Election Commissioner Justice M.A. Aziz should not be arrested and tried on the ground of abuse of power, embezzlement of public fund (over Taka 600, 000 000; about USD 9million), preparing false voter lists and playing a role in the BNP-Jamat election engineering plan ? On the same token, why the President Iajuddin cannot be tried and removed from office? You do not need a parliament to do this now?

    Why are you turning a blind eye on corrupt journalists, such as Mr. Shafiq Rehman of Jai Jai Din and you have kept two prominent journalists (Editor of Janakantha and Jugantar) in the jail? Shafiq’s property needs to be probed, as well as a closer look into the legality of the construction and acquisition of land on which his newspaper building sits.

5. There is a general feeling that your government (rather the military government) resorts to blackmailing, intimidation and conspiracy in breaking parties, extracting false information through torture and intimidation and you seem to have even less power than your Adviser Mr. Moinul Hossain whose reckless comments tell all about the intention of your government and source of your power. Can you comment?

6. The recent Mohammad cartoon issue was fanned by the Government’s spokesperson Barrister Moinul Hossain. He was seen on TV making a quick remark that the nation is under ‘severe conspiracy’. He has been using the word ‘conspiracy’ time and again and hints this to foreign power’s role in ‘destabilizing the country’. We have seen BNP-Jamat use same tactic before. Can you tell us what ‘conspiracy’ (and threat from external powers) your government is referring to?

7. Did you see the cartoon yourself? What element in there did you find offensive from a rational point of view? Why did your government refrain from arresting and trying the mullahs who broke the emergency law by resorting to violence on the street? Why have you taken a harsher stand against the teachers of Universities? Was it because the teachers had challenged the Army and the emergency law openly? How much role does your government have in these decisions as opposed to the army?

8. You had said and your Advisers (Matin/Moinul) echoed with the Army Chief that the ‘war against corruption’ will go unabated? We now hear your spokesperson Barrister Moinul that after the news comprising 200 people, there will be no further list? Why are you giving ‘arrest holiday’ here ? When will you go after Jamat?

9. What is your view on the war criminals of Bangladesh ? Can your government make any reform here by constituting a war crime tribunal ?