The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday decided to launch inquiries against 10 former lawmakers from the ousted Awami League government, including former whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury over allegations of abuse of power, and amassing illegal wealth through corruption.
Besides, the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Wednesday issued international travel bans on former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Shitangshu Kumar Sur Chowdhury, his wife Suparna Sur Chowdhury, and daughter Nandita Sur Chowdhury.
The court also imposed travel bans on Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha chief engineer Ujjwal Malliok and former lawmaker Md Abdus Sobhan Miah over allegations of corruption.
The ACC, led by its chair Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah, took the decision for starting inquiries against former 10 lawmakers over allegations of corruption, said ACC deputy director for public relations Aktarul Islam.
He also said that the commission took the decision after its intelligence unit found primary proof of the allegations against them.
The lawmakers are Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury Nasim for the Feni 1 constituency, Ekramul Karim Chowdhury for Noakahli 4, Omor Faruk Chowdhury for Rajshahi 1, Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury for Chattogram 12, MA Zaher for Cumilla 6, Iftiquar Uddin Talukder for Netrokona 3, Fahmi Gulandaz Babel for Mymensing 10, Hosne Ara for reserved seat for women in Jamalpur-Sherpur and Aftab Uddin Sarker for Nilphamari 1 constituency.
There are allegations that, the former lawmakers amassed a huge amount of wealth at home and abroad, abusing power as lawmakers and embezzling money from different development projects and laundered money.
Apart from this, the commission also decided to initiate an inquiry against five people, including Awami League Rangamati district president and former lawmaker Dipankar Talukdar from Rangamati, over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through embezzling public money in the name of a fake project.
The four others are district AL general secretary Hazi Mohammad Musa Mathabbar, vice-president Brisk Ketu Chakma, vice-president Angsrip Chowdhury, and cultural secretary Remliana Pankhwa.
Meanwhile, Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain issued an international travel ban on Bangladesh Bank former deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury, his wife Suparna Sur Chowdhury, and daughter Nandita Sur Chowdhury.
The court issued the travel ban following a petition submitted by ACC deputy director Nazmul Hossain seeking the travel ban, saying that they are trying to leave the country.
Nazmul mentioned that they are conducting an inquiry against SK Sur Chowdhury and his family members over allegations of dodging government revenue and money laundering.聽
Besides, the same court issued international travel bans on Rajuk chief engineer Ujjwal Malliok and former lawmaker for Madaripur 3 Md Abdus Sobhan Miah following two separate petitions submitted by the ACC.
Afnan Jannat Keya submitted a petition seeking the travel ban, mentioning that there are allegations against Ujjwal Malliok that he amassed about Tk 100 crore through corruption, including taking bribes, and now he is trying to leave the country.
There are allegations against former AL lawmaker Abdus Sobhan that he amassed illegal assets, including flats and houses, in different countries, including in the United States, and laundered money abroad.
The ACC took decisions to start inquires against around 100 former lawmakers and ministers of the AL over allegations of corruption since the fall of the AL government amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5.
