Thakurgaon Betar artistes agitate for arrears
Demand removal of corrupt officials
Radio artistes of Thakurgaon Station of Bangladesh Betar observe a protest programme at Thakurgaon Intersection yesterday demanding one year's arrear payment of their honorarium and punishment of corrupt officials of the station for embezzlement of government fund. Photo: STAR
Artistes of Thakurgaon Station of Bangladesh Betar have demanded payment of their arrears for over a year. At a meeting held at Thakurgaon Intersection yesterday, the radio artistes under the banner of Thakurgaon Betar Shilpi Samaj also demanded immediate removal and punishment of a few staff of the radio station for embezzling government fund allocated for the artistes. The artistes of different criteria are not getting honorarium for over a year due to alleged corruption of some officials including of Regional Director (RD) of Thakurgaon Station of Bangladesh Betar and a master roll accountant, speakers said at the meeting. After Deputy Regional Director Mostafa Kamal joined the station in the last week of February this year, it was revealed that Tk 15 lakh was embezzled from government allotted fund for the artistes of the station. Later on May 5, the RD filed a GD accusing the master roll accountant of the embezzlement. The RD and the accountant later continued blaming each other for the corruption. A team from Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also visited the radio station to inquire into the matter. Before disclosure of the matter, the RD had informed the artistes that they would not be contracted for programmes due to shortage of fund but he did not say anything about the cause of fund crisis when the artistes asked him, speakers said at yesterday's meeting. They demanded a neutral investigation into the embezzlement and removal of all 'disqualified artistes listed through nepotism and corruption'. Payment of artistes should be made through bank cheques to avert such corruption in future, they said. The artistes also demanded setting up a broadcasting house in the town. During the five-hour-long protest meeting the artistes rendered songs at regular intervals. Among others, renowned educationist and cultural personality Prof Montosh Kumer Dey, convener of Thakurgaon Betar Shilpi Samaj Mozammel Haque Bablu, President of Thakurgaon unit of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Shafiqul Islam and General Secretary of Thakurgaon Press Club Akhter Hossain Raza spoke at the meeting presided over by Principal Merazul Hossain. Later the artistes placed a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Md Shahiduzzaman containing their demand. Earlier on June 16, radio artistes formed a human chain at Thakurgaon Intersection demanding punishment of those who embezzled government fund for Thakurgaon Station of Bangladesh Betar.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments