ACC to inquire about AL lawmaker's wealth
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated separate inquiries against ruling Awami League lawmaker Mizanur Rahman and two former BNP lawmakers Asadul Habib Dulu and Ruhul Kuddus Dulu for allegedly amassing wealth beyond their known source of income.
ACC's Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said the commission has taken the decision to inquire into the allegations.
ACC sources said there is an allegation that Mizanur has amassed a huge wealth by trading narcotics.
Allegations run rife that the lawmaker from Khulna also interfered in tender process of Khulna City Corporation and other government offices, and managed contracts for his family members.
BNP leader and former Lalmonirhat lawmaker Asadul had also amassed wealth by rigging tender process and extortion.
On the other hand, ACC received allegations against former lawmaker of Natore, Ruhul Kuddus Dulu, that he had amassed around Tk 500 crore through extortion, trading narcotics and rigging tenders.
In a letter signed by ACC's Director Shafiqul Alam, the ACC asked its officials to initiate inquiries over the allegations.
BACCHU INTERROGATION
The ACC yesterday for the fourth time interrogated former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu in connection with 56 cases filed over embezzling Tk 2,036 crore.
The ACC yesterday interrogated Bacchu from 10:00am to 5:00pm. At one stage, Bacchu fell sick and was given treatment.
After interrogation, when journalists approached him for comments, Bacchu said he did not want to make any comment.
Sources said Bacchu again tried to shift the blame for the embezzlement onto the former management of the bank.
The ACC investigators first interrogated him on December 4.
According to a Bangladesh Bank inquiry, about Tk 4,500 crore was siphoned off the state-run bank between 2010 and 2013 when Bacchu chaired its board.
On July 14, 2014, the central bank sent a report on the scam to the ACC, detailing how people embezzled money from the bank through shell companies and dubious accounts.
The BB found that Bacchu illegally influenced all activities of the bank, leaving the once-sound institution in a grave state. In 2015, the ACC had filed the 56 cases over the scam. However, Bacchu was not made accused in any of the cases.