Abul resigns finally

Syed Abul Hossain resigned as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister on Monday amid pressures from in and outside the government.

In an open letter to the countrymen published in different dailies on Saturday, Abul hinted about the resignation for the interest of the country.

At about 7:30am, Abul left his Gulshan house in a car without flag. Later, he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and handed her the resignation.

During the previous tenure of the Awami League government (1996-2001), Abul was forced to resign as a state minister after he became controversial for double passports.

The ex-communications minister, who came under fire from cross section of people for his failure in repairing and maintaining the country’s roads and highways, switched off his cell phones and went to an unknown place to avoid the media soon after his resignation.

Abul was removed from the communications ministry and given the charge of ICT ministry on December 5 last year after the World Bank brought corruption allegation against him and suspended its $ 1.2 billion loan for the $ 2.9 billion Padma bridge project.

Abul Hossain announced his resignation a day after Finance Minister AMA Muhith said that the government might consider accepting the World Bank’s fourth condition to persuade the global lender to review its cancellation of the Padma bridge loan.

The bank’s fourth condition was that the government send on leave public officials and Abul Hossain, who were allegedly involved in corruption in the project.

Source: The Daily Star