NEWS UPDATES
October 2008

ACC to charge Saifur's son for Tk 13 crore graft

Dhaka, Oct 30 - The Anticorruption Commission has decided to press charges against three people, including the son of former BNP finance minister Saifur Rahman, in separate corruption cases, the commission's director general Col Hanif Iqbal said on Thursday.

Col Hanif said Saifur's son, Safiur Rahman Babu, will be charged with concealing wealth information and holding assets over Tk 13 crore beyond known income sources.

Former BNP lawmaker Nadim Mostafa will be similarly charged with hiding wealth-related information and illegal earnings worth over Tk 2 crore.

BRTC chairman Taimur Alam Khandkar faces charges for failing to submit a wealth statement to the ACC.

The commission has also decided to file six separate cases against six people for earning illegal wealth and hiding wealth information.

The six are: former lawmaker Shah Shahid Sarwar, engineer SM Abdul Mannan, Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank chairman Abu Zafar Chowdhury, former Chittagong University professor Md Fazli Hossain, Dhaka City Corporation additional engineer Khandkar Sujat Ali and Ideal School and College accountant Md Jahirul Islam.

The commission's director general said the ACC decided to send notices to former lawmaker Advocate Shah Alam and deputy secretary of CHT affairs Md Surut Jaman to submit wealth statements.

Bangladesh Bank rejects allegations against Trust Bank

Dhaka, Oct 27 – The country's central bank has said they have no information about any money laundering incident at the Trust Bank, following recent allegations against the ACC boss Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury involving his tenure as chairman of the private bank.

However, financial losses in transaction of foreign currency were reported by the bank at the time, a central bank official said Monday.

Mahmudur Rahman, former energy adviser of the BNP-led four-party alliance government, and a staunch critic of the anticorruption drive of the caretaker government, tried to file a case on Saturday against the Anticorruption Commission chairman and former army chief, accusing him of money laundering while he was chairman of Trust Bank.

However, police did not accept the case on grounds of legal complexity.

Rahman alleged that as the chairman of Trust Bank, Chowdhury laundered about Tk 20 crore of bank money abroad by citing losses in foreign exchange transactions.

After Rahman's failed attempt, Chowdhury categorically denied the allegation on Sunday, saying he would go for a legal battle against it.

At a press conference at the ACC headquarters, he said: "I want to categorically say that the allegation brought against me is not true. If you want to know further about the incident you will have to contact Trust Bank."

Chowdhury said there had been losses in foreign exchange transactions, but added that the Trust Bank at the time had acted on advice from Bangladesh Bank.

Deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank Ziaul H Siddiqui, said Monday: "The Bangladesh Bank does not have any information regarding any money laundering incident at the Trust Bank."

"However, the bank incurred some financial losses in foreign currency transaction,"Siddiqui said, as the central bank governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed brought the matter to his notice during a press conference.

ACC Chairman says he's clean

Dhaka, Oct 26 – The country's top graft-buster on Sunday rubbished allegations of money laundering levelled against him but acknowledged that "financial losses" took place while he was chairman of Trust Bank.

"I want to categorically say that the allegation brought against me is not true," Anticorruption Commission chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury.

"However," he said, "One such incident occurred. Some financial losses took place due to some reasons. But I cannot tell the amount."

"(But) Action has been taken against those involved with it and two cases involving that incident are on trial," he said at a press conference at the ACC headquarters in the city.

"If you want to know further about the incident you will have to contact Trust Bank."

Going on the offensive, he said, "Those who have grievances against the Anticorruption Commission and me are bringing such accusations. People have right to free speech."

Asked who will take the responsibility of the financial losses inflicted on Trust Bank, the former chairman of the bank said Trust Bank had to shoulder the responsibility of the loss.

"Others and I took decision at the time on advice of Bangladesh Bank."

Asked whether the ACC would investigate the matter, he said, "If there is a case the commission will definitely investigate as per rules."

The former energy adviser of the BNP-led coalition government, Mahmudur Rahman, on Saturday tried to file a case against former army chief accusing him of money laundering.

Investigative journalism yet to gain strength: ACC Chairman

Dhaka, Oct 20 —Participants were downcast about lack of in-depth coverage of corruption in the media at the annual investigative journalism awards, sponsored by Transparency International Bangladesh, on Monday.

Speaking as chief guest, Anticorruption Commission chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury said investigative journalism was yet to gain strength in Bangladesh.

"There have been no reports such as the Tehelka case in our neighbouring country. It takes courage to photograph a person taking money," he said.

The ACC chairman awarded certificates and cheques for Tk 60,000 to each of six winners at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium.

Abu Sufian, Sharmin Rinvi, Mozammel Shishir and Shovon Aref, all reporters for the private television channel Bangla Vision, claimed four out of six prizes at the Investigative Journalism Awards 2008.

Prothom Alo's Sharifuzzaman Pintu and Anwar Sadat Imran of the daily Progotir Alo, a Tangail-based newspaper, received the two other awards.

"Corruption among the owners of media outlets is one of the main hindrances to investigative journalism in Bangladesh," Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, executive editor of the daily Sangbad, said at a seminar following the award giving ceremony.

Bulbul said there was an unhealthy trend in the Bangladesh for corruption within the media to go unpublished.

The Sangbad executive editor went on to say media houses were unable to report on corrupt practices by mobile phone operators for fear of losing extremely lucrative advertising revenue.

"No major newspaper published any news items on tax evasion by the mobile phone companies," said Bulbul.

TIB official M Hafizuddin Khan said he feared those who had been involved in corrupt practises in the country were now likely to evade punishment.

"I don't think anything will happen to those responsible for corruption. Despite that, I still say we will be successful in the anticorruption drive," said Hafizuddin.

ACC starts ministry meets in new initiative

Dhaka, Oct 19 – The Anticorruption Commission in an "exceptional initiative" met with top land ministry officials Sunday, in the first of four important ministry meetings, to identify causes and reduce administrative corruption.

ACC chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and two commissioners Abul Hasan Monzur Mannan and Habibur Rahman met Sunday with land secretary Abu Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan at the ministry conference room.

Chairman of the Land Reform Board Monirul Islam, chairman of Land Appellate Board Ashraful Moqbul and other top officials were also present.

After the meeting, ACC chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury told a press briefing: "It is an exceptional initiative."

"Administrative corruption cannot be removed without first identifying it. For this reason the top administrative officials have to be involved with the process."

The causes of corruption and problems faced by the ministry were discussed.

More discussion in this regard would be held at the ACC in future and remedial measures would be proposed, said the ACC boss.

"Laws and rules formulated over a long time are creating scope for corruption. These need reform," he said.

Asked what type of corruption took place in the ministry and related aganecies, and whether those who were involved were identified, the ACC chairman said: "We are not looking into corruption by individuals, rather we are looking into the workings of the ministry and organisations."

"We are trying to identify the problems."

He added: "We have just begun to do so and we will work from the top of the administration downward in phases."

"The land ministry has been requested to take measures to curb those forms of corruption that can be checked right now. The secretary and high officials concerned has assured us in this regard," said the ACC chief.

Land officials made a proposal in the meeting to form a land tribunal, Hasan Mashhud said, adding that he would recommend the proposal to higher authorities.

Land secretary Abu Md Moniruzzaman said the meeting discussed the present state of land management.

He said most of the cases now being filed in courts are land-related. The government has already taken some measures in this regard and more steps would be taken, the secretary said.

ACC charges Khaleda, 15 others in Barapukuria case

Dhaka, Oct 5 - The Anticorruption Commission has pressed charges against former prime minister Khaleda Zia and 15 others in the Barapukuria case, alleging irregularities and corruption in handing over operations of the coalmine to a Chinese company.

ACC deputy director Abul Kashem Faquir submitted the charge sheet to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Sunday.

Some 34 people have been named as witnesses in the charge sheet.

The Anticorruption Commission approved charges against the 16 on Sept 30.

Former ministers in the immediate past BNP-led government, Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, are among those to be charged in the case.

The commission filed the case on Feb 26 accusing the then government leaders of incurring losses of Tk 158.71 core to the state due to the agreement with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).