[🇧🇩] Corruption Watch

[Saif]

ACC files cases against ex-NBR member Matiur, family

ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain said the cases were filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act

www.thedailystar.net

ACC files cases against ex-NBR member Matiur, family

The Anti-Corruption Commission today filed separate cases against Matiur Rahman, a former member of the National Board of Revenue, his first wife Laila Kaniz, their daughter Farzana Rahman Ipsita, and son Taufiqur Rahman Arnab, over allegations of acquiring wealth illegally.

ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain said the cases were filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

According to the ACC, the cases were filed following an investigation into their wealth declarations.​

 

[Saif]

Price hike by business syndicate: Myth or reality?

Price hikes in Bangladesh are often blamed on syndicates, but the real cause is more complex.

www.thedailystar.net

Price hike by business syndicate: Myth or reality?

When supply drops sharply, price hikes are unavoidable, regardless of market manipulation. FILE PHOTO: STAR

In recent weeks, the prices of vegetables have doubled or even tripled, sparking the usual chorus of complaints about price manipulation by so-called "syndicates." However, the real story behind this spike is far more complex and in this particular case rooted in severe supply shortages.

Bangladesh faced three rounds of floods this year due to untimely rains, which destroyed much of the country's crops. With supply drastically reduced while demand remained steady, the basic principles of economics took over—prices were bound to rise.

The same pattern occurred with eggs and chicken. Beginning in May, an intense heatwave coupled with high humidity severely affected egg production. Chickens, too, were underweight and in poor condition, further reducing supply. The floods that later devastated the vegetable market also hit the poultry industry, compounding the shortages and leading to inevitable price increases.

When supply drops sharply due to natural disasters, price hikes are unavoidable, regardless of market manipulation. We must understand the underlying causes rather than jump to conclusions about price fixing, especially in situations driven by unpredictable weather events.

Unfortunately, in Bangladesh whenever prices rise, public perception often points to price manipulation by sellers. This sentiment, deeply ingrained in the public mind, misses some crucial nuances. Prices don't just go up—they also come down in the short run, even though the long-term trend may be upward. Yet, consumers rarely notice or remember price drops, especially when it benefits them. This is particularly true for perishable goods such as fish, vegetables, and other similar products, which lack proper storage facilities. For instance, during favourable seasons when weather conditions and other factors influencing agricultural output align for farmers, production surges. The resulting price drops are often so severe that farmers sometimes leave unsold produce in the market or somewhere nearby, as transporting it back home and storing it for resale is not profitable. These cases of prices going down are often overlooked by the public, who are quick to focus on price hikes instead.

Price manipulation is nearly impossible in highly competitive markets. Take potatoes, for example. With thousands, if not millions, of sellers in the market, who can realistically believe that they all coordinate to artificially raise prices? In a competitive market, if 10 sellers agree to fix the price at Tk 60 per kilogram when the market rate is Tk 40, the first seller who notices their stock remaining unsold will lower their price. This single act would trigger a chain reaction, as other sellers follow suit. Collusion is incredibly difficult to sustain in such markets, particularly when the product being sold is uniform, offering consumers easy alternatives to switch to other sellers.

When the market has many sellers, no individual seller has the power to control prices. If a seller raises prices above the market rate, consumers will immediately switch to another seller offering the same product at a lower price. The very nature of competition keeps prices in check.

The idea that there's a "syndicate" behind every price hike is not only over-simplified but also misleading. However, collusion or price-fixing may occur in industries with only a few sellers, such as in the case of imported goods if the number of importers is few. In industries with only two or three dominant importers, price manipulation becomes more feasible because it's easier for them to coordinate and set higher prices. However, this is not the norm in most markets.

Even if we suspect foul play in the market, proving the existence of a price-fixing syndicate is not easy. It requires thorough research and, at times, pure detective work. In the US, for instance, the FBI once caught an airline CEO colluding with another CEO over the phone to fix ticket prices by phone tapping. Such investigations are rare and complex, and jumping to conclusions about syndicates without evidence can divert attention from real issues. Ultimately, price collusion is a matter of law and order, as it is a criminal offence. Countries like the US have strict antitrust laws to combat such anti-competitive behaviour. Bangladesh also has a competition commission, which is tasked with discouraging price-fixing and monopolistic practices. However, the enforcement of these laws in Bangladesh may not be as robust as needed.

The media also play a vital role in this issue by shaping public perception, and they must tread carefully. Every time the media declares the presence of a syndicate without proper investigation, it fuels populist rhetoric. It is easy to villainise businesses, and the public, having recently purchased goods at higher prices, will often accept this narrative without question. But the media's role is to investigate and inform—not simply to echo public sentiment.

In the end, both the media and consumers must approach the issue of price hikes with more maturity. If every instance of rising prices is attributed to a syndicate without proper investigation, it could actually make it harder to identify the real culprits behind any genuine market manipulation cases.

Rushad Faridi, PhD, is assistant professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka.​

 

[Saif]

Recovering stolen wealth

AS BANGLADESH rebuilds after the 16-year reign of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the search is on to locate and recover the funds that were allegedly siphoned off through the corrupt activities of those in her regime and their associates...

www.newagebd.net

Recovering stolen wealth
Syed Rahman and Angelika Hellweger 10 January, 2025, 00:00

AS BANGLADESH rebuilds after the 16-year reign of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the search is on to locate and recover the funds that were allegedly siphoned off through the corrupt activities of those in her regime and their associates.

Authorities in Bangladesh believe that a small number of families and businesses with links to Hasina’s Awami League party illegally obtained billions of pounds, with large amounts removed from the country. The interim government is seeking assistance to track down an estimated £13 billion worth of assets. This includes United Kingdom property worth hundreds of millions of pounds, owned by UK and offshore companies headed by former Hasina regime ministers and Bangladeshi businessmen who prospered under her rule. It is a situation that is tailor-made for asset recovery.

Asset recovery is the process by which money or other assets that have been illegally obtained are traced and then restored to their legal owners. The owners could be individuals, companies, organisations or, as with Bangladesh, states. In Bangladesh’s case, any recovered wealth could be used for its original purpose or reinvested to benefit some or all of the population.

Asset recovery sends a message that corrupt and illicit activity does not necessarily bring rewards. It does, however, require an investment of time and resources. Those who took assets illegally will go to great lengths to hide them from anyone looking to locate them. Illegally-obtained money may be moved around the world in transaction chains that are designed to disguise the origins of the wealth. It may, as has been reported with Bangladesh, be moved to secretive offshore companies and/or invested in property or other assets that are not immediately identifiable.

Mechanisms

COMMON law jurisdictions offer a variety of mechanisms that make it possible to secure and recover assets through the civil route. When illicit assets are placed in the jurisdiction of one state, the country, individual or body from which they were taken could, for instance, seek damages based on torts, breach of contract or illicit enrichment. They may also petition the civil courts to issue a wide range of orders – for example, freezing orders – to secure the allegedly ill-gotten assets and compel the defendants or third parties to disclose information regarding how they obtained them.

Civil law methods of asset recovery can be a more worthwhile option than going down the criminal law route. This is because the burden of proof that has to be established by those bringing the action can be much higher in a criminal case than in a civil case. If we take the example of England and Wales, a criminal case has to be proven beyond reasonable doubt, whereas a civil case only has to be proven on the balance of probabilities; meaning that it only has to be shown that it is more likely than not that the defendant is responsible for the wrongdoing.

It would be logical for the authorities in Bangladesh to turn to the UK as part of their efforts to reclaim the wealth that has been taken from the country. This is partly because some of that wealth is in the UK or has a UK connection, and partly because previous cases have shown that such activity can be successful in UK courts. To take one notable example, Nigeria successfully recovered millions through successful civil lawsuits filed in the United Kingdom relating to a former state governor who admitted to money laundering and corruption. A similar case occurred in 2012 in relation to a property in London, in which the High Court adjudicated in favour of Libya. Although it should be emphasised that the UK is not the only jurisdiction that is receptive to such civil action.

Process

RECOVERING assets can be a lengthy and resource-intensive process, often requiring significant funding. Tracing hidden assets demands time, expertise and coordination across jurisdictions. The complexity of money laundering schemes and challenges in international cooperation can compound the costs involved, especially on a limited budget.

But litigation funding can address such financial hurdles. This is seen as an ‘access-to-justice tool’: litigation funding allows a party to secure the financial resources needed to pursue recovery. The party seeking funds to help it recover assets comes to an arrangement with a funder, where repayment of the funds is dependent on success in the asset recovery proceedings. In such arrangements, repayment is contingent on success. If the assets are recovered, the funder is compensated via an agreed premium or percentage of the recovered value.

Careful consideration is required when structuring these agreements to ensure that both parties’ interests are protected while advancing the recovery process. A very important factor for both the funder and the funded party will be exactly how much of the costs of the proceedings the funder will cover. There is also the issue of whether or not the security interest in the award will be on a non-recourse basis. That means whether the funder will have a right of action against the funded party if the total value of assets eventually recovered does not meet a specific amount or an agreed portion of the funder’s investment.

A regime change, like the one witnessed in Bangladesh, provides a significant opportunity for proactive asset recovery. However, in order to succeed, the country must adopt a clear, well-planned strategy tailored to the challenges of tracing and recovering stolen wealth. International examples show that successful outcomes depend on combining legal expertise, resourcefulness and a collaborative approach. While asset recovery is challenging, the rewards — both financial and symbolic — are undeniable.

As Bangladesh seeks to rebuild, employing innovative solutions such as litigation funding alongside established asset recovery mechanisms could unlock paths to justice and recovery. Lawyers and advisors with expertise in this field are well-placed to help design and execute such strategies, ensuring that stolen assets are traced and returned to their rightful owners.

Syed Rahman, a partner at Rahman Ravelli, is a London-based international asset recovery specialist. Angelika Hellweger is a legal director at Rahman Ravelli in London.​

 

[Saif]

Public servants under ACC scanner for dual citizenship

The Anti-Corruption Commission has found that a section of public servants have secretly acquired dual citizenship and foreign passports to conceal their illegal wealth and launder money abroad.

www.newagebd.net

Public servants under ACC scanner for dual citizenship
Solamain Salman 18 January, 2025, 23:38

Experts welcome move

The Anti-Corruption Commission has found that a section of public servants have secretly acquired dual citizenship and foreign passports to conceal their illegal wealth and launder money abroad.

Its inquiry has revealed that the public servants exploit dual citizenship not only to launder illegal assets but also to undermine the country’s economy and the integrity of public service.

The commission recently started an inquiry to find out public servants having dual citizenship.

Welcoming the move, Transparency International Bangladesh executive director Iftekharuzzaman told New Age that accruing dual citizenship by public servants was a multistage violation of rules.

Accruing dual citizenship by public servants concealing information is cheating, while money laundering by them is a crime and an offence under commission’s jurisdiction, he said.

Noting that the commission should have taken the step much earlier, he said, ‘We hope that the ACC will set an example by taking necessary action against the public servants involved in such offences.’

As a part of the inquiry, ACC director general for money laundering Md Mokammel Haque on January 5 sent a letter to the secretaries to all ministries seeking information about the public servants having dual citizenship.

The commission stated that it found recently that some dishonest government employees were concealing information and obtaining and using passports of other countries.

They are staying in those countries to avoid punishment or legal action in the ongoing anti-corruption drives.

In this way, the suspects are trying to protect themselves from legal action and cover up their misdeeds, stated the commission’s letter.

Accruing dual citizenship by public servants is a clear violation of section 40 of the Government Service Act 2018, it said.

The commission has urged all ministries to submit information on public servants with dual citizenship or foreign passports.

It has also urged policymakers to consider these violations during recruitment and reappointment processes.

ACC director general for prevention Md Aktar Hossain said that the commission’s inquiry revealed that the main purpose of public servants’ obtaining dual citizenship was to conceal their illegal wealth and launder it abroad.

Such activities are contributing to the spread of corruption in the country and harming the economy, he said.

Apart from this, after acquiring citizenship in a different country, the public servants are seen to be indifferent to the moral responsibilities of government service in Bangladesh, he added.

Former ACC director general Md Moyeedul Islam said that it was a good decision to investigate the dual citizenship of public servants violating laws.

The commission should thoroughly investigate whether the public servants laundered money or syphoned out assets using the foreign passport, he said.

Accruing dual citizenship by public servants is a violation of the existing rules and regulations, Moyeedul added.

Earlier, the commission found information of dual citizenship of 24 former ministers and lawmakers of the ousted Awami League regime.

In December 2024, the commission sent letters to the secretaries of the Election Commission and the home ministry seeking actions against the 24 former AL ministers and lawmakers.

Seven of the 24 former ministers and lawmakers hold US citizenship or green cards. They are former agriculture minister Abdus Shahid, former state minister for power Nasrul Hamid, former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for information Mohammad Ali Arafat, deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s special assistant Abdus Sobhan Mia Golap and former lawmakers Mahfuzur Rahman and Salahuddin Mahmud Zahid.

Former finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, former LGRD minister Md Tajul Islam, former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, former state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Md Mahbub Ali hold British citizenship.

Former fisheries and livestock minister Abdur Rahman and former lawmakers Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury Nasim, Shamim Osman, Shafiqul Islam Shimul and Habib Hasan hold Canadian citizenship.

Former LGRD minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has Swiss citizenship and former railways minister Zillul Hakim has a Japanese residency card.

Former lawmakers Tanvir Hasan and MA Wahid are citizens of Germany and Papua New Guinea, respectively.

The commission has also found that Hasina’s private industry affairs adviser Salman F Rahman holds Cypriot citizenship, and former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud has a Belgian residency card.

According to article 66 of the constitution, individuals who acquire foreign citizenship or pledge allegiance to a foreign state cannot serve as lawmakers or ministers.

The law prohibits acquiring dual citizenship by public servants but many countries, including Bangladesh, have provisions for dual citizenship under specific regulations, said home ministry and commission officials.

To obtain dual citizenship, one must apply to the home ministry’s security division, they said.

If a child is born in the United States to Bangladeshi parents, she or he is entitled to US citizenship by birth, and simultaneously retain her or his Bangladeshi citizenship.

If Bangladeshis want to acquire dual citizenship, the application must be submitted to the home ministry’s immigration and security division. The ministry processes applications within 60 working days, following verification by intelligence agencies.

Bangladeshis have the opportunity to acquire dual citizenship in 101 countries, said the ministry officials.​

 

[Saif]

Addl DIG’s ‘endless’ assets, real estate business, resort

Additional DIG Gazi Mozammel Haque made a huge properties while serving at the same branch over 15 years.

en.prothomalo.com

Addl DIG’s ‘endless’ assets, real estate business, resort
​

• He is the director of real estate project on 1,200 bighas of land​
• A resort on a 60-bigha-land on the river Meghna​
• Allegations of grabbing 62 bighas of land taking owners on remand​
• Owns a bungalow on a 12-bigha-land​

Nurul Amin
Dhaka
Updated: 18 Jan 2025, 14: 54

Additional DIG Mozammel Haque built this resort in the middle of river Meghna by dredging it in Cumilla Prothom Alo

He is a police official by profession currently serving as the additional deputy inspector general (DIG) of police. However, he has real estate businesses in the suburbs of the capital. He also has a bungalow over a 12-bigha-land and a resort in the heart of the river Meghna. There is a veterinary medicine factory in his wife’s name in addition to the lands she owned in different areas across the Rupganj upazila. He is Gazi Mozammel Haque who made this fortune while serving the police force for 26 years.

It has been found during investigation that this top police official has a real-estate business named ‘Ananda Police Housing Society’ over some 1,200 bighas of land in Rupganj of Narayanganj. There is another company named ‘Ananda Properties Limited’ in his wife Farzana Mozammel’s name. Farzana also owns at least 80 bighas of land in different ‘mouzas’ across Rupganj.

Police Headquarter sources say Gazi Mozammel Haque joined the force as an assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in 1998. He was still posted in the ‘development’ unit at the Police Headquarters over the 15 years of Awami League rule.

He served in the same unit even after being promoted as the additional DIG. The main task of this unit is to look after land related issues of the force. He was transferred to the anti-terrorism unit on 1 January.

Using power to launch real estate project

According to the information available on the official website of Ananda Police Housing Society, the project was launched in 2007. Since then, nearly 1,200 bighas of lands in Rupganj have been registered in the name of this project.

Several relevant sources say Gazi Mozammel started purchasing lands in 2006. A year later, he formed ‘Ananda Police Family Welfare Multipurpose Cooperative Society’ with some retired and serving police officials. Following that, he launched a real estate business under the name - Police Housing Society. Gazi Mozammel is the project director.

The Police Headquarters has confirmed that the police have no project under this name.

Several relevant sources say the word ‘police’ was deliberately used in the project name for commercial benefits. Former IGP Benazir Ahmed also has a plot in this project, which has already been confiscated by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC).

There are several police officials and their relatives among the buyers of the plots in the Police Housing Society. There are also allegations of not handing over the lands to the buyers even after full payment. At least 10 police officials at different levels made such accusations.

There are also allegations of forceful occupation of lands for the project. Several victims in Rupganj said the project authorities grabbed their land by force. They were even assaulted for protesting. Besides, false extortion and fraud cases were lodged to harass them.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, local resident Mithu Sarker said Gazi Mozammel occupied some 2.5 bighas of land of his father by filling with sand. Before that, he tried to force his father to sell the land. They have not being able to cultivate the land for nearly 10 years.

Forceful registration of lands in remand

Jaher Ali of Rupganj was involved in the land purchasing process for Ananda Police Housing from the beginning. Jaher’s family sued Gazi Mozammel, his wife and some other police officials in a case filed with the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on 1 March 2019. According to the case statement, Jaher was taken into remand for 10 days under a false case where he was forced to register nearly 62 bighas of land in the name of the housing.

Photo of additional DIG of police Mozammel Haque

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Jaher Ali said he was forced to sign five deeds of around 62 bighas of land at gunpoint during while on remand. Later, upon getting released from the prison, he submitted complaints against Mozammel Haque to several government agencies after getting released from the prison. Following that, Mozammel negotiated with Jaher Ali and returned him the lands.

However, Mozammel claimed Jaher took money from him and purchased lands in his own name. He owes around Tk 33 million and 87 bighas of land to the Ananda Housing Society.

Properties in his wife’s name

Mozammel’s wife Farzana Mozammel is the managing director of Ananda Properties Limited on paper. The company got registration on 16 June 2013. As per the documents, Fazana owns 13,500 of the 15,000 shares of the company, which is 90 per cent of the total share. Two other persons own the remaining 1,500 shares of the company. It has been learnt that those two persons are employees of the company.

Meanwhile, Farzana purchased around 68 bighas of lands in Rupganj on behalf of the Ananda Properties. In addition, she has lands directly in her name too.

Corruption has taken a sort of institutional form and former police chief Benazir Ahmed is at the helm of this. Exemplary punishment should be ensured for the people involved in corruption so that others do not dare doing that--Iftekharuzzaman, executive director, TIB.

Gazi Mozammel Haque claims the police housing project is run by a cooperative society formed by some police officials. However, it is not possible to purchase lands in the name of a cooperative society. This is why the lands were purchased in his wife’s name. Most of these lands have already been handed over to the housing authorities. The remaining of those lands will be handed over gradually, he said.

Farzana Mozammel owns a veterinary medicine plant in Demra of the capital named Bridge Pharmaceutical. There is Mozammel Haque’s name on the nameplate on the front gate of the factory.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a factory official said, “We have been producing medicines at this plant for the last 10 years. Farzana Mozammel is the managing director of the company. However, it is Mozammel sir who looks after everything.”

Bungalow on a 12-bigha-land

Gazi Mozammel Haque built a bungalow on a 12-bigha-land in Rupganj. This correspondent spoke to one of the security guards of the bungalow named Md Badshah Mia at the main entrance on 9 January. He said there are three security guards in total. They look after the house in three shifts around the clock. They have not seen the owner for over a month.

Mozammel Haque claims he built the house with the money that he earned from a United Nations (UN) Mission.

Khaas land occupied for resort

The river Meghna flows along the Dakshin Haripur village in Barakanda union in Meghna upazila of Cumilla. Gazi Mozammel dredged the river to set up a resort and a farm over the river.

Visiting the area on 8 January, this correspondent found an under-construction resort surrounded by water. It needs a boat to reach there. Four ponds have been dug inside the resort for fish farming with two rooms for living. At one side, there were two large open stages to hold cultural functions. The work on a coffee shop and a food corner is underway. The remaining space has been used for fruit and vegetable cultivation. The employees at the resort say the resort will be commercially open very soon.

The resort is not very far away from this police official’s village home. There are allegations that he even grabbed khaas lands to build this resort.

However, Gazi Mozammel claimed to Prothom Alo that this was not a resort. He is using the establishment for fruits and vegetable cultivation and fish farming. Of the nearly 60-bigha-land of the resort, six bighas of lands are registered in his daughter's name. He leased a portion of this land from his relatives and another portion was purchased in his name and his two brothers’.

Mozammel admitted that the property includes around 35 decimal khaas land. He said he has appealed to the deputy commissioner (DC) to lease that portion of the land.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman feels it is not possible for a police official to make such a huge fortune with legal income. He told Prothom Alo, “Corruption has taken a sort of institutional form and former police chief Benazir Ahmed is at the helm of this.”

He said exemplary punishment should be ensured for the people involved in corruption so that others do not dare doing that.

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu​

 

[Saif]

ACC raids RMCH, finds irregularities in equipment purchase

Unsanitary conditions found in food supply section

www.thedailystar.net

ACC raids RMCH, finds irregularities in equipment purchase
Unsanitary conditions found in food supply section

Photo: Star

The members of the Anti-Corruption Commission have found preliminary evidence of irregularities in the procurement of anesthesia vaporiser machines at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

The team also found unsanitary conditions in the hospital's food supply section.

However, officials said that the medical equipment has been purchased centrally.

According to the ACC, the hospital purchased the machines from China, but the invoices falsely indicated they were bought from Germany, significantly inflating their prices.

Several discrepancies were also identified in the machines themselves.

The ACC conducted a raid at RMCH this afternoon, led by ACC Deputy Director of the Rangpur Integrated Office Shawon Mia.

Hospital officials, members of law enforcement agencies, and ACC officers were present during the inspection.

During the raid, the ACC team visited the hospital's operation theatre, pathology department, and orthopedics department.

Following the inspection, Shawon Mia said that the machines were supposed to be purchased from the German manufacturer, as per the tender. However, the ACC examination revealed discrepancies, including the absence of serial numbers and varying labels on different machines.

Instead of German-made equipment, machines were bought from China, with invoices reflecting German prices. "We will conduct a detailed investigation and take appropriate action," said the officer.

In the pathology department, four machines were inspected, and two were found non-functional.

The investigation revealed that two clinical chemistry analyser machines in the pathology department had defective cell counter reagents since December 2022. These machines can conduct over 60 biochemical tests simultaneously, but due to their malfunctioning, tests are still being performed manually, causing significant delays in delivering the reports.

Pathologists of the hospital said that despite repeated requests for repairs from the hospital, no action had been taken, resulting in extended wait times for patients.

Additionally, the ACC found unsanitary conditions in the hospital's food supply section. They received complaints about irregularities in chicken supply and instructed staffers to ensure meals were prepared in a more hygienic manner suitable for patients.

Brigadier General Ashiqur Rahman, director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, claimed that the hospital was not involved in the procurement process. He said the equipment was supplied by central.​

 

[Saif]

Court orders forensic examination of SK Sur’s phones in corruption probe

The court also directed the ACC to deposit Tk 16.25 lakh in cash and savings documents worth Tk 4.5 crore, which were recovered from Sur Chowdhury's residence on January 19

www.thedailystar.net

Court orders forensic examination of SK Sur’s phones in corruption probe

SK Sur Chowdhury

A Dhaka court yesterday ordered a forensic examination of two mobile phones seized from SK Sur Chowdhury, former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB), as part of an ongoing investigation into his failure to submit asset declarations within the stipulated timeframe.

The court also directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to deposit Tk 16.25 lakh in cash and savings documents worth Tk 4.5 crore, which were recovered from Sur Chowdhury's residence on January 19, into the government treasury.

Additionally, the ACC was allowed to unlock a vault belonging to Sur Chowdhury, stored at BB, to seize its contents. This procedure will be conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate, said ACC Deputy Director Md Nazmul Hussain, who is leading the investigation.

The ACC official submitted three separate applications in this regard.

The ACC has launched a comprehensive probe into allegations against the former BB official, his wife Suparna Sur Chowdhury, and their daughter Nandita Sur Chowdhury, focusing on suspected tax evasion, illegal wealth accumulation, and money laundering through the transfer and conversion of currencies.

ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir moved the applications before the court on behalf of the anti-graft body, seeking approval for these actions.

On January 14, SK Sur Chowdhury was arrested in Dhaka's Segunbagicha area and sent to jail after being produced before another Dhaka court.

On October 23 last year, the ACC filed a case against SK Sur Chowdhury and his wife and daughter for failing to submit their asset declarations within the stipulated timeframe.

Earlier on August 31, 2023, the ACC asked banks to send account details of SK Sur Chowdhury and his wife and daughter as a part of an investigation in a tax evasion case.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) in 2021 directed banks to freeze bank accounts of SK Sur Chowdhury and his wife on suspicion of tax evasion.​

 

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ACC investigating allegation of substandard EVM purchase by EC

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started examining the quality of electronic voting machines, or EVMs, purchased by the Election Commission seven years ago. Speaking to the journalists at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Sunday, ACC Assistant Director Nur Alom Siddique sai

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

ACC investigating allegation of substandard EVM purchase by EC
Published :
Jan 27, 2025 00:16
Updated :
Jan 27, 2025 00:16

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started examining the quality of electronic voting machines, or EVMs, purchased by the Election Commission seven years ago.

Speaking to the journalists at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Sunday, ACC Assistant Director Nur Alom Siddique said: "An ‘enforcement’ drive was carried out following a complaint about the purchase of substandard EVMs, bdnews24.com reports.

"As part of this, we conducted a test on three machines stored in the EC office. One of them had a mechanical glitch, the other two were fine."

He said the then-commission had bought around 150,000 EVMs in 2018. Of them, 100,500 machines are alleged to be unusable.

“The EC has stored them at three places. Of these, 618 are in the EC office; about 86,000 are in the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory and about 62,000 are in the 10 regional offices."

The anti-graft watchdog’s enforcement team also spoke to the EC's senior secretary and several officials to collect necessary information for the investigation.

Nur Alam said: "We have collected some records regarding the purchase of low-grade machines and requested for more data. We will submit a report after scrutinising the evidence."

However, the ACC official did not say who had made the complaint over the faulty EVM purchase.

The raid was carried out following the agency's decision to investigate various allegations in connection with the 11th parliamentary election in 2018.

The corruption watchdog’s Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain told reporters on Wednesday that the ACC had decided to investigate the allegations of “abuse of power, criminal misconduct, fraud, overnight ballot stuffing, and financial transactions” during the 11th general election held during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina.​