Hajj Irregularities: JS body forms sub-committee

A parliamentary body yesterday formed a subcommittee to investigate alleged irregularities in preregistration of Bangladeshis willing to perform Hajj this year under private management.

The parliamentary standing committee on the religious affairs ministry formed the five-member body, headed by ruling Awami League MP Bazlul Haque Haroon, at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

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The subcommittee was asked to submit its report in the next meeting likely to be held within a month, Haroon told reporters, adding that the move was taken following media reports on the alleged irregularities.

Yesterday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told parliament that 66,014 police members faced disciplinary actions on different charges in the last five years.

Of them, 61,910 were given light punishment, 3,600 major punishment and 504 police members were sacked or sent into forced retirement as part of departmental actions, he said while replying to lawmakers' queries.

In the scripted reply, Kamal, however, did not explain the nature of the light and major punishment.

Talking to The Daily Star last night, a police official said major punishment in the force usually includes demotion, cancellation of yearly increment and blacklisting in the police yearly report.

Whereas, light punishment means warning, a member's temporary detention and making him or her on officer special duty (OSD).

In reply to another query, the minister said there was “no existence of extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh”.