Rooppur pillow scam: Anti-Corruption Commission summons 33 officials

The Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned 33 officials of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in connection with irregularities amounting to a total of Tk36.4 crore.

According to a notice issued by the commission on Sunday, the officials have been summoned as part of the ongoing investigation over the abuse of power, irregularities and corruption on the project. 

The anti-graft watchdog asked the officials to appear before the authorities concerned on November 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13, confirmed commission spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.

Social media flooded with criticisms soon after the purchase anomaly of the nuke plant housing came to light in last May.

The purchase prices of various stuff to furnish the project's apartments for the officials and employees were unusually higher than the market prices, according to the media reports.

A pillow was found to have been bought for Tk5,957 while its carrying cost from the shop to the building was at Tk760.

The government formed two probe committees to look into the fraud. The reports found a total of Tk36.4 crore was swindled in the "pillow scam" under the project for Rooppur in Pabna - a western Bangladeshi district 213km from the capital.

According to the media report, an electric stove was bought for Tk7,747 and the carrying cost from the ground floor to the top cost Tk6,650. An electric iron cost Tk4,154 while its carrying cost was Tk2,945.