TIB expresses concern over ACC officials’ role

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday expressed concerns over Anti-Corruption Commission officials’ admitted role in wrongly implicating jute mill worker Jaha Alam in graft cases. 

An ACC probe report a few days ago admitted that its investigation officials wrongly implicated Jaha Alam, resulting in him languishing in jail for three years. He was freed on February 4 following intervention of the High Court.

TIB in its statement also urged to ensure proper compensation of Jaha Alam for his wrongful imprisonment, and bringing all responsible parties under exemplary accountability.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman in the statement said ACC report on one hand is the reflection of people’s expectations, and on the other , is a matter of deep concern.

In the report, negligence in duty of ACC officials and relevant agencies, their faulty steps, and nexus of a syndicate that had misappropriated money was identified. They should be brought under stern punishment, he said.

In 2012, ACC filed 33 cases against a number of individuals over misappropriation of Tk 18.5 crore from Sonali Bank. In 26 of the cases, businessman Abu Salek  was an accused. ACC identified Jaha Alam as Salek; he was arrested in 2016 and sent to jail.

When the issue surfaced in the media, the HC intervened and ordered his release. He was released from Kashimpur Central Jail-2 in Gazipur on February 4 this year.