Himu's Window

Swindler NGOs Lax admin control, irregularities led to crisis Anwar Ali, back from Natore Taking advantage of lax administration and irregularities at social welfare office, 30 fraud NGOs swindled about 10 lakh people out of around Tk 500 crore in eight northwestern districts. Based in Natore, the NGOs stretched business web in the name of voluntary organisations for the poor quite openly over Rajshahi, Naogaon, Bogra, Pabna, Joypurhat, Kustia and Dinajpur since March last year. Even after leading swindler Freedom Unnayan Sangstha (FUS) disappeared with Tk 250 crore, the Natore district administration gave other NGOs green light at a meeting on March 3, ignoring general participants' opinions for arresting some officials. Following that meeting, two more NGOs having 3.5 lakh members -- Probhati Grameen Unnayan Sangstha, with around Tk 100 crore, and Palli Jagoroni Unnayan Sangstha with Tk 70 crore -- vanished. Two separate probes into NGO activities revealed a nu

Rajshahi poultry farm owner, family safe from bird flu danger Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi The poultry farm owner and his wife and son, who were quarantined on suspicion of avian influenza infection, were released from Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) yesterday after pathological tests in the capital produced negative results. The tests of throat and nasal swabs of Ashraf Hossain, 42, and his wife and 14-year-old son were carried out at the virology departments of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the ICDDR,B. "We recommended releasing the three after extensive tests. We first performed a rapid test for influenza at the virology department of IEDCR and the results were negative for all three," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director of IEDCR. "Usually, we do not proceed for further tests after the rapid

NGO victims seek justice Submit memo to Natore DC for CA, army chief   NGO victims yesterday marched towards Natore district headquarters defying police interception and demanded justice in what they said was a swindle committed in cooperation with local administration. A procession of around 500 swindled people submitted a memorandum to the Natore deputy commissioner and sent its copies to the chief adviser, army chief and some other government high-ups. The victims made a six-point demand including a judicial probe into the fraudulent activities by some suddenly sprouted NGOs, which have vanished with around Tk 500 crore. Their other demands include immediate arrest and punishment to swindler NGO owners and those among local administration and people's representatives who assisted them, and arrangements for returning the swindled money. The victims from greater Rajshahi districts started gathering in front of the Sadar upazila nirbahi officer's office in the

Probe finds anomalies in NGO registration Now Sylhet NGO vanishes with money from 500 depositors The Social Welfare Directorate (SWD) yesterday stand-released two officials of Natore office as primary investigation revealed irregularities in registering fraud NGOs that disappeared with members' about Tk 500 crore. Meanwhile, the tendency of disappearing with public money spreads elsewhere, as another NGO vanished, this time in Sylhet, with Tk 50 lakh from over 500 depositors, report UNB. Sources said, Social Welfare Deputy Director Mir Bux has been transferred to Bhola and registration officer Ismail Hossain to Bandarban, reports our Roving Correspondent from Natore. The steps were taken after the three-member SWD team from Dhaka probed discrepancies in Natore office in the last three days. Headed by SWD Additional Director Sailendranath Paik, the team also comprises Deputy Director (HQ) Badiuzzaman and Assistant Director Nasir Uddin. "Now they [two officials]