Why such a long delay?

The High Court yesterday blasted the Anti-Corruption Commission for their long delay in completing investigations in the BASIC Bank loan scam cases. The judges also inquired why the bank's former chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu was not implicated in any of the cases.

"Several years have passed but the Anti-Corruption Commission is yet to submit charge sheets [to the lower court] in any of the cases filed over BASIC Bank loan scams. What is the reason for such a long delay in completing probes? Will the investigations continue for an indefinite period?" they said. 

"Those responsible for embezzling and looting huge amount of public money must be brought to book and punishment should be met, like shooting down through summary trials," said the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu.

The court was hearing three bail petitions filed by Mohammad Ali, former general manager of BASIC Bank's Shantinagar branch, in three corruption cases filed by the ACC.

The HC bench ordered the graft watchdog to submit a report on the latest positions of the cases mentioning the reasons for not implicating Bacchu in any case, by by November 21. 

According to a Bangladesh Bank enquiry, around Tk 4,500 crore was siphoned out of BASIC Bank between 2009 and 2013 when Bacchu chaired the board of the bank.

Yesterday, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told the HC that a total of 56 cases were filed in connection with the loan scams. But Bacchu was not named in any of the first information reports (of the cases), though he was interrogated at different times, said Khan. The lawyer also added that Bacchu is under the ACC's watch as they conduct probes into the cases. If any evidence of an offence is found against Bacchu during the investigations, he will be implicated, Khurshid told the HC.

The ACC, the lawyer said, has so far examined 2,600 witnesses in connection with the 56 cases and recovered Tk 3,100 crore of the stolen money.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Khurshid said former BASIC Bank general manager Mohammad Ali is also accused in around 20 corruption cases involving Tk 600 crore.

The HC issued three rules on different dates in 2020 and 2021 asking the state and the ACC to explain why Mohammad Ali, who has been in jail for a few years, should not be granted bail in the cases. Mohammad Ali's lawyer SM Abul Hossain prayed to the HC to grant bail to his client saying that he has been behind bars for a long period, but the ACC is yet to submit charge sheet in any case filed against him.

 Abul Hossain declined to provide comments or any information to this correspondent about the cases against his client.

Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state during the hearing.

In May 2014, the central bank fired BASIC Bank managing director Kazi Fakhrul Islam for presiding over a period of serious irregularities at the state-run bank. Bangladesh Bank found him to be culpable in seven counts, including lack of sound management, failure to protect depositors' interest, and loan irregularities.According to the central bank's probes, BASIC Bank had given loans without verification of customers' creditworthiness and proper documents. The lender also extended loans to defaulters. Most of the irregularities took place in the bank's Dilkusha, Shantinagar, and Gulshan branches.

The HC fixed November 21 for further hearing of the rules.