[🇧🇩] Corruption Watch

[Saif]

ACC conducts drives at Chattogram WASA

A team from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday conducted an operation at the Chattogram Water and Sewerage Supply Authority (CWASA) office and quizzed relevant officials regarding allegations of irregularities in its sewerage project. A 4-member team led by Assistant Director of ACC&

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

ACC conducts drives at Chattogram WASA
BSS
Published :
Feb 20, 2025 21:47
Updated :
Feb 20, 2025 21:47

A team from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday conducted an operation at the Chattogram Water and Sewerage Supply Authority (CWASA) office and quizzed relevant officials regarding allegations of irregularities in its sewerage project.

A 4-member team led by Assistant Director of ACC’s Chattogram Integrated Office-1 Sayed Mohammad Imran conducted the raid on Thursday afternoon and quizzed the CWASA Secretary and Project Director of Tk 38.08 billion on-going sewerage scheme.

While talking to journalists after the drive, ACC officials said that they had visited the CWASA office after physically inspecting the project site and talked to the concerned director of the project as part of the probe into the allegations of irregularities at a treatment plant of the sewerage project at Halishahar in the city.

ACC assistant director Imran said that the newly built treatment plant had a crack, and it was guessed that the crack was the result of using low quality materials.

“We have found many cracks during on-site inspection today morning and talked with the concerned officials, including the secretary and project director, as part of our investigation. The director admitted his knowledge on the cracks,” he said.

“The project director informed us that they had discussed with the project consulting firm, and the chemicals that will be used to seal the cracks have been sent for testing,” ACC officials said.

ACC official Syed Mohammad Imran said, “There is no way to apprehend exactly the cause of faults by merely seeing it. Experts in the relevant field can find it out. However, cracks have been seen. This could be due to use of low-quality materials”.

Earlier, a mysterious fire occurred on the third floor of the CWASA building in 2020. It was said that the incident was a staged one to disappear or destroy the documents of corruption and irregularities.

Besides, there are widespread allegations of corruption and irregularities centring on a number of mega projects against former controversial managing director of CWASA A K M Fazlullah.

Out of 10 mega projects undertaken by CWASA during his tenure, work on two is still going on. Over TK 82.57 billion has been spent on eight completed projects, while running two projects are being implemented at a costs of Tk 58.02 billion.​

 

[Saif]

ACC files corruption cases against ex-home ministry official, DIG, and PRO

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed three separate cases against home ministry former joint secretary Dhananjay Kumar Das, deputy inspector general (DIG) Mollah Nazrul Islam and former public relations officer Md Sharif Mahmud Apu on charges of acquiring illegal assets and unusual...

en.prothomalo.com

ACC files corruption cases against ex-home ministry official, DIG, and PRO
UNB
Dhaka
Published: 27 Feb 2025, 21: 18

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed three separate cases against home ministry former joint secretary Dhananjay Kumar Das, deputy inspector general (DIG) Mollah Nazrul Islam and former public relations officer Md Sharif Mahmud Apu on charges of acquiring illegal assets and unusual transactions in banks.

ACC director general Md Akhter Hossain confirmed the matter of the case at a press briefing in front of ACC headquarters in Dhaka.

According to the case statement, in the first case, home ministry former joint secretary Dhananjay Kumar Das has been accused of acquiring undeclared assets worth Tk 24.7 million.

In addition, he has been accused of making unusual and suspicious transactions worth around Tk 60 million in 14 bank accounts in his own name.

In the second case, home ministry former public relations officer Sharif Mahmud Apu has been accused of acquiring undeclared assets worth TK 5.9 million.

In the third case, the accused DIG of the police Mollah Nazrul Islam, has been accused of acquiring undeclared assets worth Tk 9.4 million in his own name.

Cases have been filed against the accused under Section 27 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004; Section 5 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 and Section 4 (2) (3) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012.

On 9 October last year, the ACC filed four separate cases against former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, his wife Lutful Tahmina Khan, son Shafi Modacher Khan and daughter Shafia Tasnim Khan on charges of abuse of power, recruitment, bribery, money laundering and corruption.

On the same day, a case was also filed against Kamal's APS Monir Hossain. Asaduzzaman Khan has been accused in four cases. In these cases, the former home minister has been accused of acquiring illegal assets worth about Tk 1 billion.

After the change of power, on 21 August last year, the ACC summoned all transaction information from the bank accounts of Kamal's family and eight others, including his former PS Harun (Rashid Biswas), Dhananjay Kumar Das, administrative officer Molla Ibrahim Hossain, APS Monir Hossain and PRO Sharif Mahmud. On 1 September, the court banned them from leaving the country.​

 

[Saif]

Corruption still unbridled for businesses

Although the interim government is focusing on reforms and new measures, corruption remains a major concern for businesses. Instead of waning, demands for undue payments by public officials have increased in some cases, said a top industrialist.

www.thedailystar.net

Corruption still unbridled for businesses
Says MI Cement vice-chairman in an interview with The Daily Star

Although the interim government is focusing on reforms and new measures, corruption remains a major concern for businesses. Instead of waning, demands for undue payments by public officials have increased in some cases, said a top industrialist.

"We don't see any restraint," said Md Alamgir Kabir, vice-chairman of MI Cement Factory, one of the leading cement manufacturers in the local market, in an interview with The Daily Star.

Recalling the period after an army-led caretaker government took power in January 2007, he said that at the time, many public officials were hesitant to seek bribes for providing services.

After the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's government in a mass uprising in early August, the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, took charge, raising expectations of change on many fronts, including reducing corruption, which had become pervasive during Hasina's 15-year rule.

Kabir, also the president of the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA), said that while the government's investment promotion agencies boast of One-Stop Service (OSS), the initiative has yet to reduce costs and delays for businesses.

Firms still have to visit public offices for clearances and permits, often paying more than the officially determined fees to speed up services, said the businessman.

"We have to term these payments as miscellaneous costs in our balance sheets. And in many cases, these costs have not declined," he said.

"While law enforcement appears stricter on paper, many issues are not coming out."

Acquiring land for industrial purposes remains a bureaucratic nightmare, despite the promise of hassle-free services, Kabir said.

In the interview, the industrialist—whose company markets the construction raw material under the brand Crown Cement—also talked about the overall economic and business climate, the impact of high-interest rates on bank loans, and the current state of the cement industry.

He described the current business environment as "far from favourable," citing high borrowing costs and political uncertainty as key concerns.

"High bank interest rates and political instability make it nearly impossible for businesses to thrive."

In the past, Kabir said, businesses used to raise capital from the stock market to avoid bank borrowing at high-interest rates.

"But that option has shrunk," he said, adding that the capital market has failed to become a viable funding source due to poor management and governance.

"The capital market is now at its worst state, with a significant decline in public participation. As a result, industries are forced to rely on banks, which are profiting while industries struggle."

He pointed out that one bank made over Tk 2,200 crore in profit last year, whereas even after investing thousands of crores of taka, industries rarely get such high returns.

The president of the cement manufacturers' association said this situation might not have arisen if businesses had access to a vibrant alternative funding source.

Apart from high borrowing costs, he said that political instability is another major hurdle for local businesses.

"Businesses need a stable environment, but somehow this has not been the case."

"An elected, stable government is needed to remove uncertainty and bring stability," said the businessman.

Kabir also talked about tax policies, particularly in the cement sector. He said that manufacturers must pay a portion of their revenue in taxes even if they incur losses.

Besides, taxes paid on imported raw materials are not refunded, even when firms suffer losses.

"It shouldn't be," he said.

The entrepreneur, who has been in business for nearly four decades, said that tax policy formulation should be separate from tax administration.

Currently, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) frames tax policies based on revenue targets set by the government.

Kabir suggested that a separate department should formulate tax policies to ensure fairness. Instead of focusing on businesses that comply with tax regulations, he said, the government should address tax evasion more effectively.

He also criticised policy inconsistencies, pointing out that some industries, such as readymade garments, receive more support than others, like local manufacturers producing import substitutes such as cement.

Local industries save foreign currency, he said, yet they do not receive enough support to grow.

The leader of local cement makers said the country's cement production capacity is 92 lakh tonnes, while monthly consumption is only 37 lakh tonnes.

The utilisation rate is about 44–45 percent, and the industry has declined in recent years, he said.

However, there was a turnaround in January this year, when the sector recorded a historic high of 38 lakh tonnes in sales, driven mainly by private-sector demand.

Rural construction has increased, likely due to higher remittance inflows and changing housing trends, according to Kabir.

Despite this growth, cement factories are still grappling with reduced profit margins, he said, citing rising bank interest rates, electricity and gas costs, transportation expenses, and labour costs as major issues.

Production costs rose by 11–12 percent between 2023 and 2024. However, intense competition prevents companies from increasing prices, further squeezing their profits.

Despite these challenges, Kabir believes the industry still has substantial growth potential.

Per capita cement consumption in Bangladesh has increased from 52 kg in the 1990s to 225 kg now. However, the country still lags behind India (310 kg) and China (1,700 kg).

Government megaprojects have historically driven growth in the construction sector, encouraging investment, he said.

However, as the interim government slows down large public construction projects, only those funded by foreign agencies, such as Japan and China, remain active.

This provides some opportunities for the industry, while the private sector has begun playing a larger role in driving demand, according to Kabir.​

 

[Saif]

ACC seizes assets worth Tk 18,607cr in 7 months

The Anti-Corruption Commission seized movable and immovable assets worth around Tk 18,607 crore from corruption suspects in the past seven months between August 2024 and February this year.

www.newagebd.net

ACC seizes assets worth Tk 18,607cr in 7 months
Solamain Salman 03 March, 2025, 23:29

620 apartments, 191 acres of land, 28 houses, 23 vehicles of graft suspects seized

The Anti-Corruption Commission seized movable and immovable assets worth around Tk 18,607 crore from corruption suspects in the past seven months between August 2024 and February this year.

The assets including lands, gold, deposited money, shares of different companies, and other valuable items were seized following 109 orders from different special judges› courts across the country.

The ACC, after the fall of the AL regime on August 5, 2024, began massive drives against corruption, particularly against former AL lawmakers, ministers, and pro-AL business figures who allegedly engaged in different types of corruption during the past 15 years of the AL’s authoritarian rule.

ACC public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said that the graft suspects were barred from transferring or selling their seized assets until resolving the cases against them.

According to the officials of the ACC’s asset management unit, movable assets worth Tk 18,607 crore of graft suspects were seized at home and abroad in the past seven months.

The assets include Tk 817.14 crore in 1,030 bank accounts, nine savings certificates worth Tk 1.48 crore, shares worth Tk 8,713 crore, and foreign currencies such as 169,300 dollars (Tk 2.04 crore) and 55,000 euros (Tk 69.95 lakh).

In addition, 660.3 grams of gold and Tk 9.16 crore in nine Beneficiary Owner accounts were also seized in the period, the officials said.

The ACC also seized a significant number of assets abroad, including $713,940 and €28.69 lakh, following orders from different courts.

Besides, the Dhaka Metropolitan Special Senior Judge’s Court on February 23 ordered the seizure of Tk 8,133 crore owned by S Alam Group chairman Mohammad Saiful Alam and his family members, who are being investigated for laundering around $1 billion abroad.

Besides, graft suspects’ properties worth Tk 885 crore were seized after 55 orders issued by the courts between August 5, 2024 and February 20.

The seizure included a wide variety of properties, such as 191.80 acres of land worth Tk 690.8 crore, 28 homes worth Tk 44.03 crore, 38 apartments worth Tk 17.35 crore, and 23 vehicles worth Tk 2.93 crore.

Besides, the commission also confiscated 582 apartments or commercial spaces and seized $8,88,474 from 23 companies, and €8,62,048 abroad in the past seven months, according to the ACC data.

ACC officials said that the surge in asset seizures is a part of the ACC’s broader efforts to probe corruption and money laundering and bring corrupt people to book.​

 

[Saif]

Ex-senior ICT secretary held in Ctg

Police have arrested former senior secretary of the ICT ministry NM Ziaul Alam from the Panchlaish area of Chattogram in a case filed over the allegation of selling citizens' National ID (NID) information.

www.thedailystar.net

Ex-senior ICT secretary held in Ctg

Police have arrested former senior secretary of the ICT ministry NM Ziaul Alam from the Panchlaish area of Chattogram in a case filed over the allegation of selling citizens' National ID (NID) information.

He was arrested from a house of his relative from Panchlaish Residential area yesterday, Mohammad Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station told The Daily Star.

"He was handed over to police in Dhaka," added the OC.

The allegation includes copying personal information of over 11 crore citizens, which is stored in the Election Commission's data centre.

Authorities believe the accused intended to profit from transferring this sensitive information to both domestic and foreign organisations, as well as public and private institutions.

Earlier, a case was filed against 19 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on allegations of selling citizens' NID information.

Besides, another 15 to 20 unnamed individuals were accused in the case.

The case was filed with Kafrul Police Station under the Cyber Security Act, alleging embezzlement of around Tk 20,000 crore through the sale of data.​