Tk 40,000 bribe not enough!
A video went viral on social media recently where an employee of the Social Welfare office in Chakaria in Cox's Bazar is seen allegedly taking a bribe.
In the video, it was seen that Momtaz Begum, an office assistant of the office, was seen expressing dissatisfaction after counting the alleged bribe amount of Tk 40,000 at her workplace.
The video went viral on social media Saturday evening, reports our Cox's Bazar staff correspondent.
"If I take this amount, I will be scolded," she was heard saying in the video.
Then she talked to someone about the amount over the phone.
She was heard saying, "Sir, Rafiq member was supposed to give Tk 80,000, but he gave 40,000. Sir, the rest of the amount will be deducted when the next month's bill comes".
Contacted, Rafiqul Islam, president of Madhyam Paharchanda Orphanage under Harbang Union of the upazila, said the amount of Tk 40,000 had to be paid to Momtaz for releasing the donation money allotted to the orphanage.
"I had several meetings with Momtaz Begum to collect the first instalment of the allocation of Tk 1 lakh 92 thousand which has been disbursed for 2023-24. She demanded Tk 80 thousand as bribe and threatened to withdraw the name of the orphanage from the donation receiver's list if the rest of the amount is not paid. Later on, April 8, I went to the social services office and gave 40,000 to Mumtaz", claimed Rafiqul, also a former member of Baraitli Union Parishad (UP).
Asked, Momtaz Begum, the office assistant of Chakaria Upazila Social Service Office, said she did not take money from anyone and the video was doctored.
Momtaz claimed, "In the video, it does not appear that I am taking money but counting. My husband lives abroad. He sent money through Bkash and I was counting that money".
The mobile phone of Amzad Hossain, Upazila Social Welfare officer of Chakaria, was switched off.
Hasan Masud, deputy director of Department of Social Welfare in Cox's Bazar, said an investigation will be launched soon and, if found guilty, action will be taken against the staff in question.
Comments