The Power Development Board (PDB) has directed all the officials and employees to submit asset statements by November 28. This information was informed in an office order signed by PDB Secretary Salim Reza on Wednesday (November 13).
The order said that the employees should send the asset statement to the secretary of Bangladesh Power Development Board through their respective department heads by November 28.
Incidentally, in order to prevent corruption and ensure transparency and accountability of government employees, the Ministry of Public Administration ordered on September 22, that all government employees must submit the statement of acquired assets by November 30, 2024. For that purpose, all the officers and employees of Bangladesh Power Development Board have to submit the statement of acquired assets in the prescribed form to the head of their respective departments by November 15, 2024.
After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, demands were raised from various parties regarding the submission of asset statements of government officials and employees. The interim government took cognizance of the matter and made it mandatory for government employees to submit asset statements. Through this, it is believed that the acquisition of illegal wealth by government officials will be reduced. Once a government servant submits the asset declaration, any assets beyond that will be considered invalid.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, there were allegations of corruption in the power sector. The Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has gone into hiding, but the accused officials of this sector are still working. In this case, it is believed that the corruption issues of employees will be more clear if the assets are searched through the asset statement.
Those concerned say that the Power Development Board (PDB) is working as a single buyer of the power sector. Government companies are also responsible for power generation, transmission and distribution. These companies also build power plants worth thousands of crores of rupees. At the same time distribution companies build power supply lines and substations. Even though these companies are run by the board under the Companies Act, all of them are fully owned by the government. As a result, all the officers and employees of these companies should be accounted for.
When asked, PDB Spokesperson Director (Public Relations) Shamim Ahsan said that earlier during the previous government, PDB officials and employees had once given an account of assets. This time again we have been asked to account. We hope to be able to submit the accounts on time.
