Dhaka: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated legal proceedings against former Member of Parliament and erstwhile Deputy Speaker Md Shamsul Haq Tuku, accusing him of accumulating assets valued at approximately TK 3.59 crore that are not aligned with his officially recognized income sources. The ACC has taken this step in its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and ensure transparency in public life.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the commission has also directed Tuku's two sons and daughter-in-law to provide detailed declarations of their wealth. This directive was shared by ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain during a routine media briefing held at the ACC headquarters. The inquiry conducted by the ACC revealed that while Tuku's legitimate income was TK 3,36,79,835, his total assets were valued at TK 6,96,04,016, leading to a discrepancy of TK 3,59,24,181.
The ACC has filed the case under Section 27(1) of the ACC Act, 2004, along with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. Furthermore, preliminary evidence has emerged against Tuku's son, SM Asif Shams, who is also the former Mayor of Bera municipality. Allegations suggest that Asif Shams possesses assets worth TK 26,66,68,543 that are not consistent with his known income sources. Consequently, the ACC has instructed him to submit a comprehensive wealth statement in accordance with Section 26(1) of the ACC Act, 2004, to verify his actual asset holdings.
The inquiry indicated that Asif Shams's lawful income amounted to a mere TK 3 lakh 99, while his assets were valued at TK 26,69,68,642. Similarly, SM Nasif Shams, an Associate Professor at the Energy Institute of Dhaka University, has been asked to submit a wealth statement. His lawful income was recorded at TK 1,15,05,349, whereas his assets were valued at TK 6,79,63,744, resulting in a discrepancy of TK 5,64,58,395.
Additionally, preliminary findings also pointed to Nasif Shams's wife, Mumtahin Mostafa, possessing assets worth TK 1,48,66,750 that do not align with known income sources. Consequently, the ACC has requested her to submit a detailed wealth statement to address these inconsistencies.