BANGLADESH

Two scientists at Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka have been served show-cause notice for talking to media about the 21-day power cut at the Centre.

The chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), under which the Centre runs, has asked them to explain within seven working days 'why action should not be taken against them' for talking to a television channel on Oct 3.

The seven-day countdown started on Sunday.

The Centre in the Dhaka University area went without power on Sep 13 due to a cable burn.

The no-electricity situation worried the scientists as the Centre provides analytical services like measuring radioactivity in exported and imported food items, and licences to the hospitals and clinics for radiation-emitting installations like x-ray machines.

"Lack of refrigeration can affect functioning of testing mechanism standards, which would then give errors in analytical services," they said, adding, "A wrong measurement could lead to cancellation of an export order, and thus earn bad name to Bangladesh".

But director of the Centre Muhammad Ali told bdews24.com on Oct 2, two days before the power was restored after 21 days that 'it rather saved government's electricity'. "I have personally instructed scientists to preserve their chemicals wherever they can."

Aggrieved by the director's comment, scientists opened their mouth and spoke to some television channels on Oct 3 about the possible damage to the Centre due to the power cut.

At least seven scientists and staff talked to various television channels about the situation, but the Commission's chairman surprisingly chose to served notice to only two of them – Dr Md Manjur Ahsan and Dr AKM Fazle Kibria – in line with the Commission's service rule 53.

Chairman ASM Firoz said he found the two talking to a Bangla Vision news channel on Oct 3 at 7.30pm.

"If there were others, we would ask them also to show cause," he said, adding, "It's tantamount to misconduct, which is a punishable crime."

When asked what they spoke about, he said, they talked without prior permission from the Commission.

The Commission's general conduct rule 53 titled 'fidelity and secrecy' states: "Every employee shall maintain strict secrecy regarding the Commission's affairs and the affairs of its establishments and shall not communicate directly or indirectly to any person information which has come into his possession in the course of his duties whether from official sources or otherwise, unless required to do so by law or directed by a superior officer in the discharge of his duties."

A former chairman of the Commission told that this rule was applicable to 'classified' issues only, leaking of which could pose threat to country's security.

"Explaining simple power cut situation to media would not fall within the purview of the rule," he said requesting anonymity.

When asked about the explanation of a former chairman, Firoz said, "Ok, then they will say it in the reply."

"They can write whatever they feel like in their response."