Candidates’ Affidavits: Asset values that don’t fail to amuse

One hundred forty-eight bhoris (1.72kgs) of gold worth Tk 40,000! Twenty bighas of land worth Tk 2,000! A five-katha plot in Barishal worth Tk 400! And a Baridhara flat worth Tk 1.3 lakh!

As bizarre as it may sound, these were actually mentioned in the affidavits of some candidates seeking to become lawmaker.

According to his affidavit, Nuruzzaman Ahmed, social welfare minister and ruling Awami League candidate for Lalmonirhut-2, owns 25 bighas of land worth Tk 31,500, just about two months' minimum wage of a garment worker. 

AL-sponsored candidate for Rangpur-2 Abul Kalam Ahsanul Hoque Chowdhury also owns 25 bighas of land. In the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, he said the land is worth Tk 70,000.

Like them, many candidates listed down their high-value assets at such a low price that triggers laughter. The Daily Star has randomly analysed the affidavits of about a dozen aspirants whose stated asset values could only be real in a bygone era.   

Affidavits are written statements confirmed by oath, and falsification in them are a punishable offence both in criminal laws, by up to three years in jail, and in election laws, by up to cancellation of nomination.

MP candidates are required to submit an affidavit containing eight personal and financial information while filing for nomination.

The Supreme Court in a landmark verdict in 2007 asked the EC to collect the set of information, and make them public.

The EC later incorporated a provision in the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the legal framework for holding parliamentary polls, to this effect.

However, discrepancies in the affidavits are glaring.

ASSET VALUES FROM A BYGONE ERA 

Zahid Faruk, state minister for water resources and AL candidate for Barishal-5, has a flat in Baridhara DOHS, whose value was shown Tk 1.3 lakh. In this upscale neighbourhood, the monthly rent of some flats can be way more than the minister's stated flat value.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal's wife owns an eight-storey building in Gulshan-2, another posh residential area. The value was shown Tk 35 lakh.

Narayanganj-5 lawmaker and Jatiya Party candidate Selim Osman's wife has a 4,265-square feet flat in Dhanmondi, one of Dhaka's classy residential areas. Its value was shown Tk 13.1 lakh.

State minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, stated the price of his wife's Baridhara flat is Tk 32 lakh. 

Abdul Hafiz Mallik was the AL pick for Barishal-6. 

Mallik's affidavit shows he owns a five-katha government plot. He did not mention the location, but stated that it is worth Tk 400, which cannot buy even 3 litres of cooking oil.

Mallik also has 30 bhoris of gold worth Tk 40,000.

But this does not seem an understatement when compared to the value of the gold that state minister for youth and sports Zahid Ahsan Russel's wife owns.

The AL pick for Gazipur-2 stated that the 148 bhoris of the gold is worth Tk 40,000.

Currently, gold price is over Tk 100,000 per bhori (22 karat).

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu has a 10-katha plot in Purbachal and his wife has 40 bhoris of gold, according to his affidavit, which shows the value at Tk 16.1 lakh and Tk 12,000, respectively.

Inu's own gold, 25 bhoris of the precious metal, is costlier -- Tk 25,500.

Pabna-3 sitting MP Mokbul Hossain announced ownership of 20 bighas of land worth Tk 2,000, which cannot buy even two kilograms of mutton today.

In Dhaka, how Quamrul Islam bought land and flats so cheap is anyone's guess.

The former minister showed the value of his four-katha land in Mirpur Tk 3.61 lakh and that of his 10-katha land in Purbachal Tk 39.48 lakh. The value of his two flats on 1.75 kathas of land was shown Tk 4.36 lakh.

'MULTI-LEVEL DECEPTION'

"These are examples of multi-level deception, fraud and abuse of power for illicit accumulation of wealth. The documentations of ownership of properties involving mind-boggling undervaluation may have taken place in all likelihood involving collusive illegal transactions to evade taxes," said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh.

He added that despite public frustrations, the Election Commission, Anti-corruption Commission and National Board of Revenue have failed to take action against accumulation of illicit income disproportionate to legitimate sources.

"All these have in effect lead to impunity of abuse of power and to further deepening and widening of corruption," he noted.

Contacted, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said, "Candidates reveal some information in their affidavits in line with the Supreme Court order, and we upload it on our website. We just make the information public."

He said the ACC or the NBR may take steps if they think fit.

Asked if the EC ever requested the NBR or the ACC to investigate, he said, "This is not our job. Our job is to make the information public."