Report on power sect: Former IMED chief suspended days after being made OSD
Earlier, former IMED Director (Deputy Secretary) Mohammad Mahidur Rahman, another OSD, who prepared the research report, was suspended on 18 July.
The government has suspended SM Hamidul Haque, former chief (additional secretary) of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Ministry, on charges of misconduct.
Hamidul, who is currently an officer on special duty (OSD), has been suspended in accordance with the Employee Discipline and Appeal Rules-2018, according to a public administration ministry notice, signed by the Senior Secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, notification of the ministry dated 20 July.
He is the second former IMED official, involved with preparing a IMED research report on the progress of implementing power sector projects in Bangladesh, to be suspended in recent days. Hamidul was an advisor in preparing the report.
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Earlier, former IMED Director (Deputy Secretary) Mohammad Mahidur Rahman, another OSD, who prepared the research report, was suspended,
The research report, published at the end of the last month, criticised the power sector's capacity charge and provisions for indemnity and recommended reforms in these areas.
The Business Standard on 7 July 2023 published two reports titled "End power sector's capacity charge, repeal indemnity law: Monitoring body" and "Corruption behind unfit foreign firms getting power project: Report," which were based on the "Research Report on Implementation Progress of Projects in Power Sector" published on the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division's website.
After that, when more reports based on the IMED's research were published in various media, the authorities concerned faced heavy criticism.
Amid the heavy criticism, the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division first removed the research report from its website on Saturday morning and republished it on the website the same day, excluding the critical parts.
The organisation has also sent rejoinders to various media outlets, including TBS, regarding the reports, saying that some of the issues mentioned in the research report were not their opinion.
In addition to the suspended deputy secretary, IMED Director General (Additional Secretary) SM Hamidul Haque was the advisor on the research.
The additional secretary was also made OSD on 16 July.
