Meghna Group, the company that owns 71 TV, has got the work of the much talked about Matarbari power plant.
The ministry itself has alleged that the shameless supporter and one of the allies of the Hasina government has made the current government angry. The Meghna Group has used ’71 Television to establish Awami League’s autocratic misrule among the people for the last 16 years. The television channel known as Awami Dosor has been carrying out multifaceted propaganda to show the government’s money laundering and looting as development.
Along with that, in the last 15 years, they have increased their wealth several thousand times. Controversial journalist Mozemmal Babu, former CO of 71 TV, and Mostafa Kamal, chairman of Meghna Group, became Harihar’s soul in this work.
There are allegations of Meghna Group using the media to grab Meghna river land in Narayanganj, land in Chota Sadipur in Sonargaon of Narayanganj and land of Anand Group in Sonargaon. And their company Unique Cement Industry Ltd. And a consortium of Aditya Birla Global Trading Company Pte. Initially, on October 17, the company received 370 billion 545 thousand dollars, which is about 4 and a half thousand crore Takas. Allegations have been raised that no verification was done to give work to this company which was initially canceled in the tender process for supplying coal to Matarbari power station. Several people have complained that the name was revealed, and Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, the advisor to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, worked behind it. He is writing a column in a special newspaper to give knowledge to the country and the nation apart from his own work. But in his office, Awami officials are looting thousands of crores of Takas through irregularities. However, after visiting the Matarbari power plant on September 14, the advisor mentioned it as a luxury project. He said that the allocation of Matarbari power plant project has been increased from Tk 36000 crore to Tk 57000 crore by the previous government. However, only two plants with a power generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts have been built from this power plant. This power plant is not benefiting the people. These are project luxury. Allegations of mega corruption and irregularities will be investigated during the implementation of this project. Despite this warning, Awami Dosar Meghna Group was given the task of supplying coal to Awami Dosor Meghna Group on October 17 before a month had passed. Besides, he told reporters during the visit to Matarbari power plant that he will appoint a contractor for the supply of coal through a new tender process after settling the case quickly. But the opposite happened.
According to sources, earlier the company was initially rejected in the tender process. But with the support of the upper echelons of the Awami government, later this decision was upheld by the court. Besides, the project concerned held a separate meeting with the implementing government organization Coal Power Generation Company (CPGCBL) to give work to the Meghna Group. Plans how to operate the organization. After that, the current advisor implemented the plan of Awami Dosad. According to the complaint of the project concerned, Awami Dosar Meghna Group has been given the task of supplying coal to the power plant in exchange for a large amount of trade.
According to sources, the tender process for the Matarbari Coal Power Plant in 2023 is a reality. After the change of pot, quotations came from various companies, but Meghna Group’s company Unique Cement Industry Ltd ignored them all. And the Aditya Birla Company of India awarded a work order to a consortium of Aditya Birla Global Trading Company Pte (registered in Singapore) for the supply of 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of coal. The consortium of Meghna Group with the Indian company was given a work order at the rate of 105.87 Takas, but the current advisor had received quotations of different rates of 95, 97 and 99 Takas.
At the same time due to the complexity of the case and to give work to this specific institution, the previous Hasina government suspended the tender process. One of the three consortiums, which was canceled due to the arbitrariness of the project officials, also applied to the senior secretary of the power department for re-evaluation of the tender on May 29. But after the arrival of the interim government, advisor Faizul Kabir quickly settled the case and appointed the contractor for the supply of coal through a new tender process and also gave the job to the controversial Meghna Group.
As per the tender conditions, there was a requirement of experience of importing at least 1.2 lakh metric tonnes of coal, which is a relevant condition for tenders related to coal import. But in order to give an unfair advantage to a particular firm, the condition was relaxed and experience in importing 1.2 lakh metric tonnes of iron, fertiliser, chemical, cement or food grains was included as a qualification, which created an unequal competition.
Among the organizations participating in the tender, a consortium has experience in supplying coal to power plants through participation in international tenders. “We were declared ‘technically ineligible’ without considering our extensive experience and success in coal supply and without informing us of any details and without asking us any questions on technical issues and giving us any opportunity to explain,” said senior officials of the company.
The tender process has been questioned by awarding work orders to a single firm in a ‘biased’ manner despite declaring the tender of a single firm as technically qualified and not competitive and profitable for the state, the participating firms said.
Meanwhile, after the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, intelligence agencies and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigated the Meghna Group’s money laundering, but the gang made the tender process for the Matarbari coal-fired power plant in 2023 a reality. A large amount of financial transactions have also been completed to commission the Meghna Group. Besides, this opportunity has been given to the fascist Awami government’s accomplice Meghna Group involved in money laundering and Indian companies to destroy the bloody July and August revolution of the students.
Newly appointed managing director of Matarbari coal power project. Nazmul Haque said, everyone knows that a lot has happened with this project. The company has also received the court verdict. I think everything is fine.
