The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started investigation into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed. A three-member committee, headed by ACC deputy director Hafizul Islam, has already been formed to investigate the corruption of the former IGP. ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmin confirmed the matter to the reporters at a press briefing at the ACC headquarters today (22 April). She said legal actions will be taken according to the relevant laws of the ACC after an investigation. Earlier, a writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking an investigation into Benazir Ahmed's corruption. Supreme Court lawyer Salahuddin Regan filed the writ petition with the concerned branch of the High Court. Four people, including the ACC chairman and secretary, have been made defendants in the case.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) approved the charge sheet against Grameen Telecom and Nobel laureate professor Muhammad Yunus as well as 13 others on Januray 29 in a case filed for allegedly embezzling Taka 25 crore from the company. The approval came from a meeting which was held at the commission’s headquarters at Segunbagicha in Dhaka on Monday (Jan 29) afternoon.  Mahbub Hossain, ACC Secretary has confirmed the matter to the reporters.   Professor Yunus is the chairman of the company. The accused people, who have been named in the charge sheet in the case are Chairman of Grameen Telecom Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director Nazmul Islam, Director and former Managing Director, MD Ashraful Hasan, Director Parvin Mahmud, Naznin Sultana, Md. Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum and Director SM Hajjatul Islam Latifee, Advocate Md. Yusuf Ali, Advocate Zafrul Hasan Sharif, President of Grameen Telecom Sramik-Karmachari Union President Kamruzzaman, General Secretary Feroz Mahmud Hasan and Office Representative Md. Mainul Islam has been accused. According to the case statement, on May 9, 2022, a decision was made at the company’s 108th board , which was presided over by Dr Yunus,  But it was found that the account was opened only a day before the decision was even made. On May 30 of last year, ACC filed a case against 13 people including Muhammad Yunus for embezzling 25 crores 22 lakhs 6 thousand 780 taka of workers' welfare fund.  Gulshan Anwar, Deputy Director of the organization, filed the case.

A former official of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) died in the custody of police in Chattogram on Wednesday, October 4. According to UNB, Mohammad Shahidullah, 63, was a former deputy director of Chattogram Integrated Office-2 of the ACC.  His family members claimed that it was a "murder". They said, Shahidullah was picked up by police without showing any arrest warrant.  He retired in 2007 from ACC.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (Monday) said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has the jurisdiction to conduct a probe into any irregularity. “Nobody of the republic is above the law. The independent Anti-Corruption Commission has the jurisdiction to launch probes into graft allegations or irregularities,” he told a press conference on contemporary affairs at the Secretariat in the capital. Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said if there are allegations of irregularities against any particular person, the ACC can launch a probe against him or her. “But, accusing the whole election system is unexpected and irrational,” he added. Some 42 eminent citizens of the country sent a letter to the President demanding formation of a supreme judicial council over the alleged irregularities of the Election Commission (EC), the AL general secretary said, but experts think that such demand is illogical. “Such demand makes the President, the guardian of the state and the custodian of the country’s Constitution, embarrassed,” he said. About the ongoing local government elections, Quader said the Awami League has taken harsher stance against its rebel candidates in these polls. Noting that some AL rebel candidates have been contesting in local government elections, he said those who will join the polls ignoring decisions of the AL Local Government Public Representative Nomination Board, will be considered to violate party discipline. He said the AL leaders, who will abide by the party decisions, will be considered in different ways in the future. Calling upon the AL leaders and workers to get united so that AL-nominated candidates can win in these polls, Quader warned that those who did not follow the party decisions would not be considered for the party nominations and posts in the days to come. He asked the authorities concerned to discuss allegations, if any, at the party’s internal forum. Urging AL men not to tarnish the party image by making statements, the AL general secretary said AL President Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has taken strong stance on the party discipline and unity. Source: BSS AH

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked concerned authorities to submit the information regarding the money launderers who bought homes or flats abroad. The information was delivered through a press release of the institution on Friday. The release said, it has been said in the media reports that ACC has asked for the list of money launderers who bought luxurious flats or homes in abroad. But the real fact is that the ACC has asked for the list of Bangladeshi national who laundered money abroad (Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries) to buy homes or flats with a view to take legal action against them following the court order. The request has been sent to the Senior Secretary of foreign affairs ministry through a letter. AH

Corruption has decreased in the country over the last five years but its expansion remains everywhere. Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmud said this in a reaction over the report of ‘Global corruption barometer Asia 2020’ performed by Transparency International on Sunday. Through video conference he said, corruption exists not only in government sector, it has expanded everywhere. There is no doubt. There are problems, corruption. We are very strict about corruption and commitment of the government is also strict. For that strictness corruption has decreased a little bit, it is my personal opinion. While delivering his comment about the report of Transparency International the ACC Chairman said, ACC always reviews this kind of report with much importance. We have not reviewed the report in a full-fledged way. 86 per cent people of the country expressed their confidence on ACC. I think, with this information ACC’s responsibility has increased. We have to sustain this confidence. ACC has to play its responsibility continuously with transparency and accountability. There is no alternative to identify, investigation and prosecution in a proper way to implement peoples’ desire. Iqbal Mahmud said, we have to reach the message to the corrupt people that one has to face the law if he commits corruption. He has to get strict punishment. Nobody can avoid it in the country or abroad. ACC will trace him, no matter what identity he holds varying from personal, social, religious or other identities. I can firmly say that over the last five years we tried to fulfill peoples’ desire through our performance. Person was not principal matter to us. We paid emphasize on types of crimes, expansion and the existing law and regulations. We have tried to perform our responsibility to trace the criminals so that no public harassment occurs. AH       

Chairman of the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) Iqbal Mahmood on Tuesday said the commission has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to stop corruption in relief distribution. He made the remarks after receiving a special report on various types of allegations of corruption, progress in case investigations and the overall situation, including the arrest of accused. The intelligence unit of the ACC apprised the chairman about their month-long activities from April 12 to May 11 through the report. The Commission has so far filed 15 cases in different districts on charge of misappropriating government’s relief materials and money from the government's social security program. Several people have also been arrested in connection with irregularities. According to the report, 15 cases were filed against chairmen, members and secretaries of union parishads for various irregularities and corruption in food-friendly activities under the government's social security program from April 12 to May 11. Investigations into the cases are underway. Expressing satisfaction over the overall activities of the ACC, Iqbal Mahmood said, "ACC officials are carrying out their responsibilities risking their lives which is commendable, but all those involved in such crimes must be punished and no one will be spared.” A special committee or taskforce will be formed, if necessary, to monitor activities relating to investigations, he said. Source: UNB AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has informed that Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has no jurisdiction to arrest people and said, they have to ask the law enforcement agency for making arrest. They can give order. The premier said this in her speech to the high ranking police officers on the occasion of Police Week at Prime Minister’s Office on Monday. The Prime Minister said, ACC has no jurisdiction to arrest anybody. In the meantime we heard that they ... to arrest someone they have to ask the law enforcement agency. They can give order. ‘It is not the task of ACC to detain people and keep them in the cell. Every organization has to perform it own duty. This should be kept in mind.’ Sheikh Hasina said, it is the duty and responsibility of police to provide security for the people of the country. Police have to be people’s friendly. But confidence of people has increased on police than the previous period, this confidence has to be increased further. She said, earlier there were 10-15 members in a police station. They had no logistic support. At present the number of officers, posts have been increased. So you have to calculate the past and present condition. You have nothing to seek. You have got all before seeking. To the police officers Sheikh Hasina said, demands should not be urged if economic condition of the country develops. So far we have done for development of police with our own initiatives. I know that those who would provide security for the country, they should be given security at first, otherwise the country will not move forward. She also said, when we first assumed in power in 1996 we saw that the budget for police was 400 crore taka. Then we doubled the budget. At that time police members were getting 20 percent ration. We also doubled that. AH  

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved charge sheet against 11 persons including former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha in a case filed over money transfer and embezzlement. The decision was taken at the ACC commission meeting on Wednesday. ACC Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharja confirmed the information. ACC filed the case on July 10 over allegation of 4 crore taka transfer and embezzlement through fake loan. 11 persons including SK Sinha and former managing director of Farmers Bank (currently Padma Bank) AKM Shamim were made accused in the case. The other accused are- senior executive vice president and former credit chief of Farmers Bank Gazi Salahuddin, first vice president Swapan Kumar Roy, senior vice president and former branch manager Mohammad Zia Uddin Ahmed, first vice president Sahfiuddin Askari, vice president Mohammad Luthful Haque, permanent resident of Tangail and businessman Mohammad Shahjahan, permanent inhabitants of the same area- Niranjan Chandra Saha, Santri Roy alias Simi and her husband Ranjit Chandra Saha. It was mentioned in the first information report that proofs of forgery were found for taking loan of 4 crore taka against two accounts of Farmers Bank following ACC investigation. Accused of the case Shahjahan and Niranjan took the loan. Then that money went to the account of former chief justice SK Sinha. ‘House sale’ was mentioned as the cause for source of money. AH      

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has been given total liberty. Nobody is being spared after doing corruption, misdeed in Awami League. ACC took action against several MPs of the ruling party, even charge sheet was framed. To get bail some are asking us to request Attorney General. But we directly discouraged them. He said these at a press conference after holding party secretarial meeting at Awami League president’s political office at Dhanmondi in the capital on Wednesday. Obaidul Quader said, we cannot say that any misdeed was not done in this term. But there is system of punishment. Awami League has that kind of culture which is absent in other parties. Here the system of punishment is available if anybody committed misdeed or corruption. There is no system of punishment in BNP. He also said, I will not utter a single word about Chhatra League. Prime Minister herself is handling the matter, she is delivering directions through the person responsible. So why should I talk about this matter again and again? AH