L-R: Sircar, Delwar and Akhtar

Former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, his deputy Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain will now have to appear before the all-party parliamentary probe body on June 27 to defend themselves against allegations of financial irregularities.
Probing alleged graft in the Parliament Secretariat in seven years to January 25, the House committee rearranged the date at a meeting yesterday.
Originally, it wanted the three to appear before it on June 10.
Allegations against the BNP leaders include financial irregularities in procurement, appointment, and beautification projects in the parliament building complex.
Besides, the three stand accused of using public vehicles and fuel and drawing medical allowances illegally.
As per the probe body's decision, Sircar will have to appear before the committee at 10:00am, Akhtar Hamid at 12 noon and Delwar at 3:00pm.
“The Parliament Secretariat will tomorrow (Sunday) send them letters to that effect,” Fazle Rabbi Mia, chief of the probe body, told reporters after the committee meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Talking to The Daily Star over phone, a member of the probe committee said the letters outline the allegations in a 'polite manner'.
Meanwhile, a sub-committee led by AL lawmaker Shajahan Khan placed its report to the main probe body yesterday.
It recommended recovering Tk 1.36 crore from the trio as they drew the money as fuel bill in addition to their entitlement, meeting sources said.
It also suggested taking legal actions if they do not return the money.
Earlier, another sub-committee recommended retrieving Tk 35 lakh that Sircar, Akhtar and Delwar took illegally.
Shajahan Khan said they are only working to ensure transparency and accountability in the Parliament Secretariat's spending and thus uphold the dignity of the House.
In another development yesterday, the all-party committee met Speaker Abdul Hamid at his office and apprised him of the progress in its work. It also informed him about the decision to summon Sircar, Akhtar Hamid and Delwar on June 27, added the meeting sources.
The committee today starts compiling the findings of its three sub-committees who have turned in reports recommending stern legal actions against the three.
Parliament will decide on the next course of action once it has the final probe report from the main probe body on or before July 9.
“We want to hear their versions before finalising our reports,” Rabbi said, adding that the probe committee believes they would show up at the June 27 meeting.
Sircar, also a lawmaker of the ninth parliament, said he would decide whether to attend the committee's meeting after going through the letter.
Earlier, the committee had decided to summon them to be present at its meeting on June 10.
Asked about deferral, its chief said they had changed the date as a sub-committee could not submit its report on time.
Shajahan Khan, head of the sub-committee that submitted its report yesterday, however said the date was deferred because the legislature was in budget session then.
In response to a growing call from the lawmakers, the speaker on March 19 formed the all-party parliamentary body to investigate alleged corruption in the Parliament Secretariat during the tenure of former speaker Sircar and Hamid.
The probe body and its sub-committees have already disclosed details of 'financial irregularities by Sircar, Akhtar Hamid and Delwar'.
Sircar and Delwar have refuted the allegations and questioned the legality of the probe.