CAG audit report, including ‘pillow scandal’ submitted to PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman received 38 reports from various government departments and groups today, including the much-discussed “pillow scandal” corruption report of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, which occurred during the fascist era.

The procurement of furniture and electrical equipment at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project’s “Green City” residential complex revealed the “pillow scandal” in 2019. The cost of each cushion was Taka 5,957. Purchasing pillows and other products resulted in a significant amount of money being embezzled.

Confirming the matter, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abu Abdullah M Saleh said Auditor and Comptroller General Md. Nurul Islam submitted audit reports of various ministries and organisations to the Prime Minister, including the investigation report on the pillow case.
 
After hearing the unbelievable price of each pillow in the report, he said, the Prime Minister told the CAG that these expensive pillows should be kept in a museum.
  
In the afternoon, Auditor General and Comptroller Md. Nurul Islam submitted the audit report for the fiscal 2021-22 to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat here.
 
The project’s purchase of a residential building for Taka 169 crore involved corruption at every level. Each pillow was purchased for Taka 5,957 Taka, and each pillow was lifted to the residential building’s bed for Taka 760 Taka. An alternative to blankets, a comforter with a cover was priced at Taka 16,800. Despite this, its market value varied from Taka 4,000 to a maximum of Taka 13,500. In a similar vein, foreign bed linens were bought for Taka 5,936 even though their market value was between Taka 3,000 and Taka 3,500.
There were representatives from the relevant departments as well as Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani and Finance Secretary Dr. Khairruzzaman Mozumder.