New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum, which was set to document the mass uprising of Bangladesh during July 2024, has been hit by a recruitment scandal, said a news report citing a string of irregularities even before the structure takes shape.

The irregularities pertain to recruitments undertaken for building the museum and also point to a potential conflict of interest involving former cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.

The findings, based on an investigation by the Times of Bangladesh, take objection to Farooki appointing himself as the chairman of the museum’s governing board while serving as cultural affairs adviser with ministerial rank in the interim government – raising serious concerns about probity.

The daily claims that its investigations are based on government documents, which allegedly show that the rules were bent and the recruitment process was rushed to accommodate ‘favourites’ and favour certain agencies.

According to the report, the museum was initially planned as an extension of the Bangladesh National Museum; however, it was changed to create an independent institution, apparently at the behest of Farooki, during his tenure as cultural affairs adviser.

“Under Section 8 of the ordinance, the museum is to be governed by a 15-member board led by a “distinguished expert” drawn from fields such as education, history, literature or culture. However, a government gazette published on February 3 — only days before the national elections — announced the formation of the governing board and named Farooki himself as chairman,” the daily points out.

It further stated that it creates a conflict of interest because Farooki was still serving as cultural affairs adviser with ministerial rank in the interim government when the appointment was made.

Citing officials, it also says that those involved in the hiring process revised the rules, relaxed educational qualifications and other eligibility requirements.

“A job advertisement issued on January 29, 2025, for 96 positions gave applicants only seven days to submit their applications, setting the deadline on February 4. Government recruitment guidelines typically allow at least 21 days for applications,” the report states, while adding that “the recruitment process was rushed while the adviser was still in office.”

The Times report also raises questions about the composition of recruitment selection committees.

“Under public administration rules, such committees are typically chaired by officials at the deputy secretary or joint secretary level. However, Farooki appointed comparatively junior officials from the ministry, including senior assistant secretary Azam Uddin Talukder and assistant secretary Sekandar Ali Khan,” it highlighted.

--IANS

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