Dhaka: The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has taken significant action against illegal assets and properties, attaching assets worth approximately Taka 15,000 crore and freezing around 2,300 bank accounts over the last 10 months through 128 court orders.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ACC also targeted illegal assets and properties valued at Taka 1,000 crore outside the country, following court directives during the same period. The commission has been proactive, initiating over 500 inquiries, submitting more than 400 charge sheets, lodging 350 first information reports (FIRs), and providing over 50 final reports within this timeframe.
The ACC’s efforts included attaching 470 acres of land, 40 houses, 70 flats, 31 plots, nine shops, seizing 28 cars, three ships, one truck, 52 business establishments, three companies, and freezing 2,346 bank accounts. The current balance of these accounts operating domestically amounts to 2706, 32,35,132 taka.
From August of last year to March this year, the ACC seized movable assets worth about Taka 824,23, 40,000 and immovable assets valued at Taka 11,474,84,00000 within the country. Internationally, they seized movable properties worth about Taka 120,75,35,000 and immovable assets worth Taka 45,18,00000.
A senior official from the asset management division of the commission provided insights, revealing that in January, the ACC lodged 70 FIRs against 238 individuals, submitted 28 charge sheets against 71 people, and exonerated 27 individuals found innocent during investigations. In February, the body filed 54 FIRs against 158 individuals, pressed 52 charge sheets against 155 people, initiated investigations into 95 new allegations, and requested 57 individuals to submit wealth statements.
The corruption cases predominantly involve family members and relatives of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with her ministers, parliament members, and senior leaders of her party, Bangladesh Awami League. Among the accused are six members of Sheikh Hasina’s family who allegedly acquired 60 kathas of land in Pubachal New Town through corrupt means.
Additional accused persons include Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s son and daughter Sajib Wajed Joy and Saima Wajed Putul, and Sheikh Rehana’s daughter and son Tulip Siddiq and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Dr. Kazi Aktar Hamid emphasized the gravity of the allegations, asserting that power is a sacred duty of the state and corruption through such power is unacceptable. He stressed the necessity for a proper, accountable, and transparent investigation into these allegations to uphold the rule of law and justice in the country.