United News of Bangladesh

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found evidence that former State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperatives and Jatiya Party Presidium Member and former Secretary General Moshiur Rahman Rangha received bribes worth Tk 1.7 crore in exchange for facilitating the payers' participation in the 11th Jatiya Sangsad election, held in 2018. Based on the findings, the ACC has decided to file a case against Ranga and former Kurigram-2 MP Panir Uddin Ahmed, who allegedly paid the bribe to secure the opportunity to contest the election. The decision to file the case was taken on Monday (January 19) at the ACC headquarters, ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain said. Read More: JP distributes nomination forms for 6 constituencies in Dinajpur According to the inquiry report, despite having no business relationship, Ranga allegedly accepted the amount as a bribe from Panir Uddin Ahmed by creating an opportunity for him to take part in the 12th parliamentary election. The investigation further revealed that Panir Uddin Ahmed is the proprietor of Jalil Biri Factory and Haque Special (transport business). On October 30, 2018, Tk 20 lakh was transferred from Panir Uddin Ahmed’s account under the name of Haque Special at Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited’s Kurigram branch to Ranga’s account at the bank’s Rangpur branch. In addition, in November 2018, Panir Uddin Ahmed deposited Tk 1.5 crore  in four instalments from Sonali Bank Limited’s Kurigram branch into Ranga’s account at Sonali Bank’s Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban branch. Read More: JP workers' gathering foiled by police action in Kakrail In this way, a total of Tk 17 million (1.7 crore)was allegedly given as bribe. The accused reportedly attempted to conceal the money through transfer, handover, conversion and transactions. The acts constitute punishable offences under Sections 161, 165 and 109 of the Penal Code, Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, the ACC said. The commission has therefore decided to lodge a case against the accused.