The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday said it will launch an investigation into allegations of irregularities, corruption and embezzlement linked to the construction project of the Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain said this while briefing reporters outside the ACC headquarters in the capital, stating that project director AKM Maksudul Islam along with others, is accused of severe misconduct. ACC sues ex-minister Nasrul, 2 family members The allegations include abuse of power, fraudulent activities, and extensive corruption. Among the most alarming charges is the escalation of the project’s estimated cost from Tk 7,000 crore to Tk 22,000 crore. Reports also suggest that Tk 900 crore was embezzled through design alterations during the soil testing phase. Further accusations include selling three key segments of the project to other contractors through commission trading, using low-quality parts and equipment from China and Korea instead of the European-grade materials specified in the tender and widespread irregularities in the sealing work. 60 kathas plot: ACC to probe allegations against Hasina, family members The ACC also disclosed that Tk 400 crore was allegedly embezzled through syndication, while Tk 12 crore was wasted on unnecessary expenses aimed at appeasing the former Prime Minister. The under-construction terminal was inaugurated by the ousted ex-Prime Minister on October 23, 2023, with plans for it to become operational by October 2024. Akhtar Hossain assured that the ACC is committed to uncovering the truth behind these allegations and ensuring accountability for any wrongdoing.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed three cases against former state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid, his wife Seema Hamid and son Zareef Hamid on charge of acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income. 60 kathas plot: ACC to probe allegations against Hasina, family members ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain disclosed the decision in front of its headquarters in the city. Deputy director Mostafizur Rahman filed the cases with district coordinated office, Dhaka-2. Earlier on August 20, the bank accounts of Nasrul Hamid and his wife were frozen by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). Burning bodies of protesters: ICT issues arrest warrants against ex-MP, 4 cops Day after the freezing notice, law enforcement agencies conducted a drive at a building owned by Nasrul Hamid in Banani and seized TK one crore, a weapon and 50 rounds of ammunition.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against Showkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon, former MP of Barguna-2 constituency, for allegedly acquiring illegal wealth worth Tk 5.96 crore. The ACC has also asked Rimon’s wife Rawnak to submit her wealth statement as it has information on her acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 2.52 crore. According to ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain Rimon owns movable and immovable properties worth Tk 35.98 crore. He also has liabilities amounting to Tk 15.25 crore, leaving his net assets at Tk 20.73 crore. Call for inclusive police reform to rebuild trust, accountability His legitimate sources of income amount to only Tk 1.11 crore that showed that he illegally accumulated Tk 35.96 crore, he said. The ACC began investigating Rimon’s alleged corruption on September 17, said ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam. Rimon misused his authority to amass significant illegal assets through irregularities and corruption. Rimon was elected MP from Barguna-2 in the 10th and 11th parliamentary elections. On October 16, a court imposed a travel ban on him following an ACC petition.

The Anti-Corruption Commission has initiated an enquiry into allegations of corruption, embezzlement and money laundering in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project. A special team of five ACC officials are conducting the entire probe. Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddiq allegedly embezzled $5 billion from ‘overpriced’ $12.65 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant through various offshore bank accounts in Malaysia, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing quoting the ACC.   It is alleged that these people siphoned off substantial amounts of money through various offshore accounts in Malaysia, following questionable procurement practices related to construction of the entire nuclear plant, it said. New ACC chief discloses his wealth, income and liabilities to the media The claims of kickbacks, mismanagement, money laundering and potential abuse of power raise significant concerns about the integrity of the project and the use of public funds, it said.  Allegations against Tulip’s Family Tulip’s paternal uncle, Tarique Ahmed Siddique, is the Security Adviser to the ex-prime minister, his wife and daughter are stakeholders in a fake company named Prochchaya Limited (Incorporation Certificate Number C-75659/09, dated March 25, 2009). This company, in affiliation with a slash fund cheat fund company named Destiny Group, had laundered around $900 million to different countries, including the United Kingdom and has opened a company named Zumana Investment & Properties Limited [Incorporation Certificate Number 7417417, dated October 25, 2010] in the United Kingdom. Various newspapers claim in the UK and worldwide that Labour Party MP Tulip Siddiq has maintained discrete connections with Moscow since she met Russian President Putin.  Allegation against Hasina, Joy The ACC on Sunday decided to conduct an inquiry into the allegation against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy over laundering $300mn to the United States and the United Kingdom. ACC to probe graft allegations against Hasina, family members The name of Joy first came up as a money laundering suspect in the United States versus Rizvi Ahmed case in 2014, the CA’s press wing said, quoting the ACC. Later, a probe conducted by a powerful US intelligence agency uncovered serious financial scams involving Joy. It has also noted that in particular, information emerged that money was being laundered from various offshore bank accounts in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands in his name to various bank accounts in Washington and New York in the United States and London in the United Kingdom through a local money exchange entity.  The US intelligence agency also confirmed the matter through their London representative and found evidence of serious financial irregularities and money laundering committed by Joy. It has also been mentioned that Linda Samuels, Senior Trial Attorney of the Department of Justice, contacted Special Agent La Prevot and found that $300 million was deposited from Bangladesh to various bank accounts in the United States.  Tk 80,000 crore Graft in Nine Projects Moreover, the commission has initiated a new enquiry against Sheikh Hasina, son Sajeeb Wazed, her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and Rehana’s daughter and British minister Tulip Siddiq into corruption allegations involving Tk 80,000 crore. BFIU summons bank account details of Sheikh Hasina, Rehana The alleged corruption involving Tk 80,000 crore occurred in nine projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and the Special Ashrayan Project during the Awami League government between 2009 and 2023. Recently, the ACC special enquiry team has collected the preliminary identity documents from the Election Commission office and from Immigration and Passport Department. A special requisition report has been sent to Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) for supplying relevant documents and statements of offshore bank accounts running by the name of the suspected persons.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has detected irregularities in the payroll of Sylhet Gas Fields Limited, a state-owned entity under Petrobangla. ACC officials revealed the information after a raid on the gas fields’ administrative office on Thursday afternoon. ACC officials found discrepancies involving 27 additional employees listed on the payroll. While only 195 officials and employees are actively working, the payroll shows 222 employees.  The ACC team, led by Assistant Directors Ashraf Uddin and Jewel Majumdar from the Sylhet regional office, also found evidence of overtime payments exceeding salary allocations, which lacked proper documentation.  Sugarcane threshing to begin at Drashana's Carew & Co sugar mill on Friday During the five-month period from July to November, employees of the gas field received salaries amounting to Tk 2.35 crore. However, overtime payments about Tk 2.86 crore were disbursed. Assistant Director Ashraf Uddin said, “The documents have been collected and will be forwarded to the commission for further review. Errors in salary and overtime calculations have been identified.”  Managing Director of the gas field Rezaul Islam said that an investigation will also be conducted on behalf of the gas field in this regard.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday filed six separate cases against ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed and former National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman and their family members on charges of acquiring illegal wealth and concealing information about their assets. ACC Director General (Prevention) Md. Akhter Hossain told UNB about the filing of the cases.Govt working to ease public suffering: Adviser Fouzul Kabir He said that the ACC filed two cases against Matiur and his wife Shammi Akhter Shibli while four separate cases against Benazir, his wife and two daughters.  

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed six separate cases on Thursday against former health minister Zahid Maleque, his son Rahat Maleque, former state minister for post, telecommunication, and information technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and his wife, and former state minister for textiles and jute Mirza Azam and his wife, on various allegations. New ACC Commission imposes travel ban on 5 ex-MPs, families The ACC filed the cases with the Dhaka Integrated District Office, ACC spokesperson Aktarul Islam told UNB. Zahid faces accusations of amassing undeclared assets worth Tk 614,256,426, while his son Rahat Maleque is accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 114,984,161. Palak was charged with acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 87,347,042, and his wife Arifa Jasmine was accused of possessing assets worth Tk 95,893,433. ACC to start probe against ‘big fish’ soon: New Commissioner Mirza Azam was accused of acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 397,667,200, while his wife Dewan Aleya faces allegations of acquiring assets worth Tk 237,771,995.

Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Monday accused the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the judiciary of functioning as subordinates to the Awami League during its time in power, alleging they failed to ensure justice and accountability in most cases. “There was an ACC, there was a High Court, but there were no trials except for Khaleda Zia. Corruption has become entrenched in society due to this lack of accountability,” said Dr Nazrul. He made the remarks while speaking at a discussion held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, to mark International Anti-Corruption Day. Most cases filed to suppress mass uprising withdrawn: Asif Nazrul The programme was organised by the ACC, with its Secretary Khorsheda Yasmin in the chair. Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and head of the ACC Reform Commission, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, attended the event as a special guest. Dr Nazrul highlighted the prevalence of corruption during the last 15 years under the Awami League government, stating that institutions like the ACC and judiciary failed to act independently, especially in cases not politically motivated. Referring to a controversial statement by a former Prime Minister, he said, “How does a Prime Minister's peon claim to own Tk 400 crore and laugh about it during a press conference? The entire family was complicit in corruption. During Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, the ACC and judiciary became her subordinates.” Interpol red notice planned for Hasina, other fugitives: Asif Nazrul He emphasised the need for immediate reform and activation of the ACC to address past corruption effectively. “We cannot leave the ACC dormant. The new commission must be empowered to tackle corruption effectively. Time is of the essence,” he added. Speaking at the event, ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhter Hossain underlined the importance of fostering public awareness to combat corruption. “An honest generation can lead to an anti-corruption society. We must awaken the public’s consciousness to the dangers of corruption.” People will decide Awami League’s election fate: Asif Nazrul The discussion also underscored the necessity for reform within the ACC and judiciary to ensure their independence and efficiency. Dr Nazrul urged all stakeholders to stop solely blaming politicians and take individual responsibility for tackling corruption. “We must stop blaming only politicians and take responsibility for our own actions. Learning from the youth and fostering a culture of accountability are essential,” he added.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is going to take legal action against officials of the Rural Electrification Board who were behind a threat to abstain from work and even shutdown electricity in their areas to realise their demands. ACC documents seen by UNB show that it asked five officials of various Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS) units under the Rural Electrification Board (REB) to face interrogation. The five officials are - Humayun Kabir, DGM of Barisal PBS-1; Asaduzzaman Bhuiya, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Brahmanbaria PBS; Samiul Kabir and Bipasha Islam, Deputy General Manager (technical) of Manikganj unit, Rajon Kumar Das, Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Munshiganj PBS. ACC on Thursday formed a three-member team headed by assistant director Shahidur Rahman for the purpose. The other two members are assistant director Papon Kumar Saha and deputy assistant director Mohammed Shahjalal ACC sues ex-chairman of Samabay Bank Mohiuddin Ahmed, wife ACC also said it received an allegation of earning illegal money against Humyaun Kabir from the investigation and inquiry unit of REB, which was filed by the proprietor of Khan Traders Masud Khan. Humayun Kabir is one of the coordinators of an Anti-Discrimination Movement inside PBS. The complaint said Humayun Kabir raised more than TK 225 crore to destabilise the political situation, aiming to embarrass the interim government. The complaint also states that the coordinators of the so-called movement inside the various PBS units have an ill-motive for the nationalisation of employees who are currently working on the master roll basis. On Thursday, ACC issued a letter to Humayun Kabir, as well as the DGM of Brahmanbaria PBS Asaduzzaman Bhuiya, to come before it to face interrogation on October 27, while the other three - Samiul Kabir, Bipasha Islam and Rajon Kumar Das - have been summoned to appear on October 28. Earlier, a section of officials from various PBS units under the REB issued a stark ultimatum, threatening a “complete shutdown” following the termination and arrest of key officials across several districts. The officials are demanding the immediate reinstatement of the 10 terminated PBS executives and the release of those arrested, giving authorities 24 hours to meet their demands. They have also called for the removal of the REB chairman within the same timeframe, warning that failure to comply will result in a "Long March Towards Dhaka,"in the form of a mass protest involving tens of thousands of PBS employees. The threat was made in a statement from the PBS Anti-discrimination Movement, signed by its four coordinators: Abdul Hakim, Md Salahuddin, Mohammad Asaduzzaman Bhuiya, and Rajon Kumar Das. “Some 45,000 staff of the PBSs will be forced to go for a long march if the two-point demand is not met,” the statement emphasised. The controversy erupted after the REB terminated 10 senior officials from different PBS units, accusing them of destabilising the power sector, which is considered an essential service. The terminations also cited allegations of insubordination and involvement in activities that violated the organisation's disciplinary codes. Additionally, a working inspector from Noakhali PBS was relieved of his duties. Among those dismissed are officials from various regions: Zakir Hossain, Senior General Manager of Cumilla PBS-4; Asaduzzaman Bhuiya, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Brahmanbaria PBS; Rajon Kumar Das, Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Munshiganj PBS; Manir Hossain, AGM of Netrokona PBS; Dipak Kumar Sinha, DGM of Cumilla PBS-1; Abdul Hakim, AGM of Dhaka PBS-1; Md Salauddin, AGM of Dhaka PBS-2; Md Rahat, DGM of Magura PBS; Md Zakir Hossain, Senior GM of Cumilla PBS-4; and Humayun Kabir, DGM of Barisal PBS-1.  

Former Director General (DG) of Postal Department Sudhanshu Shekhar Bhadra was arrested on Tuesday night. Md Akhtarul Islam, public relations officer of the anti-graft watchdog, confirmed the matter, saying that ACC deputy assistant director Nazir Akanda, in association with detectives, arrested him. A process was underway to produce him before a Dhaka court, he said. Earlier on August 20, the ACC filed a case against him. Read: ACC approves case against former Postal Department officials over alleged corruption in govt project According to the case statement, an agreement was signed with the state-owned Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS) to purchase 500 HPE ML-30 servers and other electronic goods, including UPS, under the 'Post-e-Center' project of the postal department. The government money has been misused violating Section 23 of the Public Finance and Budget Management Act, 2009 by purchasing servers and UPS for the allocated Tk 15 crore 11 lakh 42 thousand of the agreement, it reads.