The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday initiated enquiries against former mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation Selina Hayat Ivy, and former two lawmakers of the Awami League government over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through corruption.
鈥楾he commission took the decisions to start enquiries against former Narayanganj city mayor Ivy and former lawmakers Ayesha Ferdaus and Ranajit Kumar Roy over allegations of corruption,鈥� said ACC deputy director for Public Relations Md Aktarul Islam.
According to the allegations, after Ivy was elected as the Narayanganj City Corporation mayor, she appointed Abul Hossain as her personal assistant, who allegedly abused his power to extort a huge amount of money from CNG and battery-run autorickshaws.
Ivy owns four to five flats in the Narayanganj city, while her personal assistant, Arif Hossain, was appointed as a teacher to a school abusing power, the allegation said.
Apart from this, Ivy鈥檚 driver owns two flats in two different locations in Narayanganj city, while Ivy鈥檚 brothers, Ali Reza Ripon and Ahmed Ali Reza Uzzal, embezzled more than 1 crore taka annually from the solid waste collection and disposal management project in the Siddhirganj in Narayanganj, according to the allegations.
Ivy was also allegedly involved in the demolition of the historic Chitta Binodan Club in Narayanganj to build a market, as well as the illegal occupation of 18 acres of Bangladesh Railway land to construct Sheikh Russell Park.
Besides these assets, the ACC鈥檚 preliminary probe revealed that Ivy and her dependents and close relatives amassed wealth beyond known sources of income.
ACC also initiated an inquiry against former Noakhali-6 lawmaker Ayesha Ferdaus over allegations that he amassed illegal wealth through abuse of power, irregularities, and corruption.
Her assets included a multi-storey building at Hatiya Bazar, a three-storey house, and a four-storey market at Pushali Bazar. Her husband also owns a huge amount of money, including cash, bank funds, vehicles, and a fishery business.
Before 2009, Ayesha was a typical housewife with no income sources.
After being elected as a lawmaker, she and her family members amassed a huge amount of illegal wealth at home and abroad.
ACC also decided to initiate an inquiry against former lawmaker for Jessore-4 constituency Ranajit Kumar Roy over allegations of amassing illegal wealth, grabbing land, money laundering, and abuse of power.
In the 2008 national election, his declared assets were worth Tk 4.10 lakh, including Tk 70,000 in his wife鈥檚 name and Tk 15,000 worth of gold.
But in 2023, these assets had surged to Tk 4.49 crore, with his wife鈥檚 assets surging to Tk 1.47 crore.
Apart from this, Ranjit Kumar received a 5 per cent commission from each firm for each work, while he and his son own a house in Salt Lake of India, according to the allegations.
Since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the Anti-Corruption Commission has initiated enquiries against around 100 former ministers, state ministers, and lawmakers over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through corruption.
