[🇧🇩] Corruption Watch

[Saif]

An IGP’s eye-watering corruption takes the lid off patronage politics

Many of Benazir Ahmed's public statements since assuming high office aligned more with the ruling party's political stance than with the neutral stance expected of a civil servant.

www.thedailystar.net

An IGP's eye-watering corruption takes the lid off patronage politics

Illustration: Biplob Chakroborty

The massive wealth accumulated by a top police official, whose primary task is to maintain law and order, is hard to fathom. The scale and magnitude of the former IGP's wealth acquisition make it clear that it is not possible through petty grafts, but rather requires extortion and corruption at the highest levels. To understand this issue, we must look back at the tenure of the former police chief Benazir Ahmed.

Benazir uniquely served in three of the most coveted roles in the police force: Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), and Inspector General of Police (IGP). These positions ideally require extraordinary competence, integrity, and professional excellence.

Did you know that he was awarded the Integrity Award for the year 2020-21 in recognition of the integrity he displayed in his profession? According to a Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) report, on June 28, 2022, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal handed over the award to him in an official ceremony, which included a certificate, a crest and money equivalent to one month's basic salary. Given recent revelations, it raises questions about whether he was rewarded for actual merit or if this reflects deeper issues within the governance system. One is forced to wonder what kind of vetting process was used to verify the integrity of the top cop, as only a few months before this award, on the very day that the US announced its sanctions, Benazir Ahmed had hosted quite an extraordinarily lavish reception marking the wedding of one of his daughters.

Many of Benazir Ahmed's public statements since assuming high office aligned more with the ruling party's political stance than with the neutral stance expected of a civil servant. His rise to these top positions occurred during a politically turbulent period, marked by events like the rise of Hefazat-e Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami's opposition to war crimes trials, the BNP-led boycott of the 2014 election, and the emergence of various Islamist terror outfits. His aggressive policies against both political dissent and terrorism raised suspicions about his motivations, with many observers detecting political ambitions behind his actions.

Kamal Ahmed is an independent journalist.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

We have nothing to announce about former Bangladesh police chief: US

The United States Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, on Tuesday said that the US had nothing to announce whether any US agency had found assets of Bangladesh’s former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed in the United States of America or in any other country...

www.newagebd.net

We have nothing to announce about former Bangladesh police chief: US
Staff Correspondent 30 May, 2024, 00:23

The United States Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, on Tuesday said that the US had nothing to announce whether any US agency had found assets of Bangladesh's former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed in the United States of America or in any other country.

He, however, said that they never previewed sanctions or other actions that they might take.

Miller was asked about both the former police chief Benazir and former army chief Aziz Ahmed, who recently came under the US visa restrictions over allegations of corruptions.

'So with respect to the first question, I don't have anything to announce. With respect to the second, I'm aware of the allegations and the media reports that you referenced,' he told the routine press briefing at the US state department in Washington.

Referring to the recent revelation of the immediate past police chief's massive corruption in Bangladesh, the questioner asked if the spokesperson could tell them whether any US agency had found any of his assets in the US or any other country and whether the US had frozen such assets as Benazir was also subject to two US sanctions.

Miller said that they believed corruption saps economic growth, hinders development, destabilises government, and undermines democracy.

'We have made anti-corruption a core national security interest since the outset of this administration, and our detailed implementation plan for this strategy has been articulated at a number of senior levels, but I don't have anything new to announce. And as you know, we never preview sanctions or other actions that we might take,' he told the briefing, responding to the questions.

About a joint investigation by German-based DW and Süddeutsche Zeitung and Sweden-based Netra News revealing that former and current members of Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion routinely get deployed as UN peacekeepers despite allegations of gross violation of human rights against the force, Miller said that they were aware of those reports.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Bilal9]

More news on Benazir and family current whereabouts.

 

[Saif]

Recruitment in Malaysia: Syndicate siphons over $1b out of Bangladesh

When Malaysia resumed hiring Bangladeshis in August 2022 after a four-year hiatus, governments of the two countries agreed that a worker would have to spend just Tk 78,990 to get a job in the Southeast Asian country and fly there.

www.thedailystar.net

Recruitment in Malaysia: Syndicate siphons over $1b out of Bangladesh
Money sent through hundi over 20 months

When Malaysia resumed hiring Bangladeshis in August 2022 after a four-year hiatus, governments of the two countries agreed that a worker would have to spend just Tk 78,990 to get a job in the Southeast Asian country and fly there.

But in reality, a worker had to spend Tk 5.44 lakh or $5,000, according to a survey published earlier this month by the US-based non-profit Verite.

On March 28, four UN experts wrote to the Bangladesh and Malaysia governments about the situation of Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia and mentioned that each migrant spent between $4,500 and $6,000.

Several migrant workers who spoke to The Daily Star from Malaysia said they spent over Tk 5 lakh to get there.

On December 19, 2021, Bangladesh and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding, according to which, a worker would need to spend no more than Tk 78,990 for the passport, health checkup, registration, welfare, insurance, identity card, clothing, and recruitment agency fees.

Malaysian employers were supposed to pay for the plane ticket, visa, security deposit, insurance, medical test, document attestation by the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, and the Malaysian recruiting agents.

Industry insiders and researchers say a syndicate of 100 Bangladeshi recruitment agents, who were selected by Malaysian authorities, created a monopoly-like situation, in which a worker had no way of getting to Malaysia without spending hefty sums.

Many believe that the leader of the syndicate is Ruhul Amin Swapan, owner of Catharsis International, in Bangladesh and Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Abdul Nor, founder of IT firm Bestinet, in Malaysia.

The latter is a Bangladesh-born Malaysian citizen whose firm operates the Malaysian government's Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

ACC scrutinises graft allegations against ex-army chief Aziz

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday ordered its scrutiny cell to scrutinise corruption allegations submitted against former army chief General Aziz Ahmed.

www.newagebd.net

ACC scrutinises graft allegations against ex-army chief Aziz
Staff Correspondent 31 May, 2024, 00:34

Aziz Ahmed

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday ordered its scrutiny cell to scrutinise corruption allegations submitted against former army chief General Aziz Ahmed.

'We discussed the allegations against former army chief Aziz Ahmed in today's [Thursday] meeting of the commission,' ACC chairman Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah told New Age.

'After discussing the matter in our meeting, we asked the three-member scrutiny cell of the commission to scrutinise the allegations following rules and regulations and present them before the commission,' he added.

Supreme Court lawyer Salah Uddin Reagan filed a petition with the ACC on Wednesday seeking an inquiry into the alleged corruption of former army chief Aziz.

According to the lawyer's application, the United States sanctions against Aziz on corruption charges and the reports published in national daily newspapers have damaged the image of the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh nationally and internationally.

Reagan called the ACC's reluctance to launch an investigation against Aziz after such a big complaint unfortunate.

On May 21, the United States Department of State announced that the former chief of the Bangladesh Army, General Aziz Ahmed, and his family members are generally ineligible to enter the US due to his involvement in 'significant corruption'.

The action against Aziz has been taken under Section 7031(c) of the annual Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programmes Appropriations Act, the US State Department stated.

Speaking about the matter a day after the US announcement, foreign minister Hasan Mahmud insisted that Bangladesh was earlier informed about the decision by the US authorities and that he would not make further comment on it since it was a matter of the Bangladesh Army.

'His actions have contributed to the undermining of Bangladesh's democratic institutions and the public's faith in public institutions and processes,' said the US statement, adding that Aziz Ahmed engaged in significant corruption by interfering in public processes while helping his brother evade accountability for criminal activity in Bangladesh.

Aziz also worked closely with his brother to ensure the improper awarding of military contracts and accepted bribes in exchange for government appointments for his personal benefit, according to the statement.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

Amnesty for bringing back smuggled-out money likely

State minister for finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan on Thursday hinted at the reintroduction of the scope for repatriating the smuggled-out money in the...

www.newagebd.net

Amnesty for bringing back smuggled-out money likely
Staff Correspondent 31 May, 2024, 00:41

State minister for finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan on Thursday hinted at the reintroduction of the scope for repatriating the smuggled-out money in the upcoming budget to be announced on June 6.

The state minister dropped the hint while talking to reporters about possible fiscal measures for FY25 at her secretariat office against the backdrop of high inflation and the dollar shortage that had crippled the economy.

It was heard that the scope for repatriating smuggled-out money would be given in the new budget, she said.

'But I cannot say anything about the rate of tax,' she said, adding that the National Board of Revenue would fix the rate for availing of the opportunity.

Despite criticisms, the immediate past finance minister, AHM Mustafa Kamal, announced the scope for repatriating smuggled-out money in FY23.

But no one took the opportunity to legalise cash or cash equivalents, bank deposits, bank notes, bank accounts, convertible securities, and financial instruments held abroad by paying a 7 per cent tax.

The country's first-ever offshore tax amnesty was withdrawn in the outgoing FY24.

For the upcoming FY25, the NBR is likely to give tax amnesty to legalise undisclosed money held by errant taxpayers at the local level.

The state minister said that an analysis of the impacts of climate change would be made in the new national budget.

However, the top focus will be given to tackling inflation, she said.

The majority of people have been pressed hard by inflation, which has remained above 9 per cent since March 2023.

The state minister said that the social safety net programme would be expanded in the new national budget while the subsidised food supply programme would continue.

Answering a question about whether the government was heading towards loan-dependent development, the state minister said they were not doing so.

'Our loan-to-GDP ratio is lower than in many countries,' she said, claiming that the country had never defaulted on loan repayments.​

 

[Saif]

Ex- IGP Benazir withdraws Tk 100cr from FDRs before bank account seizure

The Anti-Corruption Commission found that former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed and his family members withdrew around Tk 100 crore from...

www.newagebd.net

Ex- IGP Benazir withdraws Tk 100cr from FDRs before bank account seizure
Staff Correspondent 31 May, 2024, 00:35

Benazir Ahmed.

The Anti-Corruption Commission found that former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed and his family members withdrew around Tk 100 crore from their fixed deposits in different banks before the seizure of their bank accounts.

ACC officials said that they had specific information on the withdrawal of the money by Benazir from bank accounts and Fixed Deposit Receipts. The commission will place all the information before the court in this regard, they said.

When asked, ACC commissioner [investigation] Md Zahurul Haque on Thursday said, 'It is heard that he [Benazir] has withdrawn some money.'

'The ACC inquiry officer will see what was withdrawn from his bank accounts and it can be found only by checking his bank account,' he said.

ACC officials said Benazir started withdrawing the money step by step since the media reports claimed he and his family members amassed illegal wealth.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ACC decided to interrogate Benazir and his family members over their alleged accumulation of illegal wealth.

The former police chief was likely to be interrogated on June 6 at the ACC headquarters in the capital's Segun Bagicha, and his wife, Zeeshan Mirza, and other family members were likely to be interrogated on June 9.

Following a petition filed by the ACC on May 19, a Dhaka senior special judge's court ordered the seizure of all properties listed in 119 documents under the names of Benazir and his family members.

Apart from this, four companies under his family members' names and partial shares in 15 companies, four BO accounts, and four flats in Gulshan area have been instructed for seizure.

On May 23, the same Dhaka court also ordered the freezing of 33 financial accounts of Benazir and his family members and the seizure of 345 bigha of property listed in 83 documents under Benazir and his family members' names in Gopalganj and Cox's Bazar.

The court ordered the seizure of approximately 621 bigha of land in total owned by Benazir and his family members.

On April 18, the ACC at a meeting decided to carry out an inquiry against Benazir for allegedly accumulating illegal wealth after newspapers and electronic media ran reports in this regard.

The reports highlighted the lavish lifestyle of Benazir family and his holding of shares in different companies.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

Corruption has devoured our dreams

If we look at the overall picture of Bangladesh’s economy over the past few years, we will see it is not doing very well, says economist Mustafa Kamal Mujeri. Over the past four or five years the macroeconomic indicators have turned downwards, whether it is the inflation, foreign exchange...

en.prothomalo.com

Corruption has devoured our dreams
Mustafa Kamal Mujeri is the executive director of the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development (InM). He has served as the lead economist of Bangladesh Bank. During his career he taught at Rajshahi University, was a planning commission expert and served as a UNDP consultant for the government of Cambodia. In an interview with Prothom Alo's Monoj De, he speaks about the state of the macro economy, inflation, the challenges to the budget and the way ahead.

Mustafa Kamal MujeriKHALED

Prothom Alo : Inflation, reserves, the dollar exchange rate – all economic indicators have taken a nose dive. What is the state of the macro economy?

Mustafa Kamal Mujeri: If we look at the overall picture of Bangladesh's economy over the past few years, we will see it is not doing very well. Over the past four or five years the macroeconomic indicators have turned downwards, whether it is the inflation, foreign exchange reserves, the foreign currency exchange rate, the banking sector and so on. Even just a few years ago our growth exceeded 8 per cent. But that has turned downwards now. Given the current growth trend, it is apparent that we have deviated far from the eighth five-year plan roadmap. It is the same with the other indicators. In short, we have moved far away from the path where we wanted to lead the economy in order to meet our targets and fufill our dreams. This deviation has taken place in every area, some more, some less.

Prothom Alo : We are seeing instances of corruption by persons in top positions of important government institutions. Money laundering can't be stopped either. Where is corruption and money laundering leading our economy?

Mustafa Kamal Mujeri: Reports on the corruption of a few persons in high government positions have come to light. But this is not the overall picture of corruption. The overall picture is undoubtedly much worse. I would say with time our corruption has accumulated. Corruption in intrinsically linked with the problems of our economy today, with the struggle we are witnessing. Corruption has devoured our dreams. Even the information we receive about money laundering is not comprehensive or accurate. But given the information we have from various agencies at home and abroad, it is clear that money laundering is a large part of our corruption. It is the wealthy and influential persons of society who are involved in money laundering. Corruption and money laundering are a huge problem for us, a huge challenge.

To read the rest of the interview, please click on the link above.​