Sonali Bank Cars Misused by High Officials: Fueling Allegations of Power Abuse
At least 16 jeeps belonging to the state-owned Sonali Bank were used illegally by top officials, including the former Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Abdur Rouf Talukder, secretaries, deputy secretaries, and board members of Sonali Bank itself. These vehicles, which were meant for official use, were misused by powerful individuals for personal purposes, leading to significant financial losses for the bank.
Irregularities in Vehicle Allocation
A recent audit report by the central bank has revealed that the use of these 16 jeeps violated the Bank Company Act and Bangladesh Bank’s circulars. The officials involved abused their power by continuing to use these vehicles despite having been allocated official cars by the government. According to the audit, the misuse of these vehicles resulted in an approximate loss of Tk 1 crore in fuel and maintenance costs in 2023 alone. The central bank has since sent a letter to the Sonali Bank managing director (MD) seeking an explanation as to why these expenses should not be recovered from the responsible individuals.
List of Misused Vehicles
The vehicles involved in these irregularities were mostly used by officials who were not authorized to use Sonali Bank’s cars. This includes vehicles that were allocated and used by the former Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Abdur Rouf Talukder, and secretaries from the Ministry of Finance and the Financial Institutions Department, despite already having cars assigned to them by the government.
According to the central bank’s audit, 17 jeeps from the Sonali Bank head office were being used by individuals who were not supposed to have access to them. The total amount spent on fuel and maintenance for these vehicles in 2023 was Tk 98.2 lakh. The central bank’s inspection report provided detailed information about the vehicle registration numbers, names, and titles of the unauthorized users.
Abuse of Power and Financial Mismanagement
Dr. Toufiq Ahmed Chowdhury, former Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), commented on the misuse of these resources as an abuse of power. He pointed out that government officials, such as the Governor and secretaries, are already allocated official vehicles for their personal and family use. Therefore, it was unjustifiable for them to use the state-owned Sonali Bank’s cars when they already had access to government-provided vehicles.
He emphasized that this misuse of resources resulted in unnecessary financial strain on the bank, as the fuel costs, along with salaries and allowances for the drivers, were paid using bank funds. He called for strict action against the responsible individuals and insisted that the central bank must take immediate and decisive steps to prevent such abuses in the future.
Official Responses
In response to these allegations, the former MD of Sonali Bank, Md. Afzal Karim, denied any knowledge of the allocation of cars to the Governor and secretaries during his tenure. He suggested that the misuse occurred before his term. The current MD, Md. Shawkat Ali Khan, who recently joined the bank, acknowledged the issue and confirmed that the irregularities took place before his appointment. However, he assured that steps would be taken to ensure such incidents do not happen again under his watch, especially after the interim government assumed power.
Abdur Rouf Talukder’s Involvement
The most notable name among the abusers was Abdur Rouf Talukder, who used the Sonali Bank jeep with registration number 2339. Talukder, who became the 12th Governor of Bangladesh Bank on July 12, 2022, during the Awami League government, is accused of not only misusing his power for personal gain but also exacerbating the financial sector’s ongoing crisis. His tenure as Governor was marked by controversies surrounding mismanagement in the banking sector, and his involvement in the misuse of Sonali Bank’s vehicles adds to the list of allegations against him.
Sources close to the matter claim that Talukder, who previously served as Finance Secretary, had been involved in unethical dealings that benefited a select few, often at the expense of the country’s financial integrity. His actions, including the improper use of state-owned resources like Sonali Bank’s cars, are seen as emblematic of the broader issues of corruption and power abuse in the country’s banking system.
The misuse of Sonali Bank’s vehicles by high-ranking officials represents a broader issue of power abuse, financial mismanagement, and lack of accountability in the state-owned sector. While the central bank’s audit report has exposed these irregularities, it remains to be seen whether the responsible individuals will face consequences for their actions. The situation highlights the need for stronger governance and oversight to prevent the misuse of state resources and ensure the proper management of the country’s financial institutions.
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