The perpetrators of the Hall-Mark Group loan scam should be punished for their forgery and corruption, and an administrator may be appointed to the group, if necessary, for carrying out its operations.
“Necessary measures need to be taken for those activities of the Hall-Mark group that create employment opportunities and generate income while an administrator may be appointed, if necessary, to this end,” said a statement of the Ministry of Finance outlining its policy regarding the scandal-hit Hall-Mark Group.
The statement said those individuals of the Group involved in forgery and corruption starting from the members of its Board of Directors and officials at different levels will have to be punished.
Referring to various media reports on the Group, it said the reports regarding understanding with the Hall-Mark Group or the government is taking a soft line about the Group are not correct.
It further said the government has no intention to save anyone involved in the Hall-Mark scam and it has already issued a directive to this end.
The directive stated that it should be considered to reopen the mills and factories of the Hall-Mark Group in a bid to generate its earnings, create employment opportunities and repay the debt of the Sonali Bank Ltd.
The statement also said there is no base of the allegation that the Ministry of Finance has softened its stance towards the Hall-Mark Group.
It said recommendations from Sonali Bank are yet to come to the ministry regarding reopening of factories and mills of the Hall-Mark Group and the Ministry would take its decision after getting the recommendations from the Sonali Bank. Opinions from the civil society will also be considered prior to taking the decisions. UNB
