The infamous "Pillow Scandal" involving corruption at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant during the previous fascist regime has been featured in one of 38 audit reports submitted to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The reports, covering various government departments and agencies, were presented by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Bangladesh, Md. Nurul Islam, at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon.
The "Pillow Scandal" first drew public outrage in 2019 following revelations of massive irregularities in the procurement of furniture and electronics for the 'Green City' residential project at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The audit highlights a fraudulent expenditure of 5,957 BDT for the purchase of a single pillow, with additional exorbitant costs claimed for lifting the items to the apartments.
A Museum Piece
During the presentation, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed disbelief at the astronomical pricing cited in the report. According to Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, the Prime Minister remarked that one of these "incredibly expensive" pillows should be preserved in a museum.
"The Comptroller and Auditor General presented audit reports for the 2021-22 fiscal year across various ministries and agencies, which included the investigation findings on the pillow corruption," Shibli confirmed.
Scale of the Irregularities
The audit detailed systemic corruption within a 169 crore BDT procurement drive for the residential buildings. Key findings include:
Pillows: Purchased at 5,957 BDT each, with a reported labor cost of 760 BDT per pillow just to carry them to the beds.
Comforters: Priced at 16,800 BDT each, despite a maximum market value of 13,500 BDT.
Bed Sheets: Foreign bed sheets were bought for 5,936 BDT, nearly double the market price of 3,500 BDT.
The formal submission was attended by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, and other senior officials from the respective departments.
