The Anti-Corruption Commission has started an inquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth against former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed.
A three-member inquiry team led by its deputy director, Hafizul Islam, has been聽 formed to conduct the investigation into the graft allegations.
The inquiry body has already started its probe, said ACC secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen at a press briefing on Monday at the commission headquarters.
The two other members of the inquiry team are commission鈥檚 assistant directors Niamul Hasan Gazi and Zaynal Abedin.
Yasmeen said that the ACC on Thursday took the decision at the commission鈥檚 meeting to carry out the inquiry over the graft allegations.
The commission took the decision based on the reports published in newspapers and electronic media, she said.
鈥榃e have been delayed in taking a decision on this matter due to Eid holidays and two commissioners being out of the country,鈥� said the ACC secretary.
Recently, several newspapers and electronic media published a series of reports on the alleged amassing of illegal wealth by Benazir and his family members.
The reports highlighted the lavish lifestyle of Benazir family and his holding of shares in different companies.
According to the reports, his 鈥榰nusual assets鈥� did not match with the legal sources of income of the former IGP, who received from the government 鈥楽huddhachar Purashkar鈥欌�攁n award given based on 10 criteria, including honesty, morality, and proper financial management.
The reports triggered widespread criticism of Benazir Ahmed, his wife and daughters.
Having defended himself, Benazir on Saturday claimed that the media reports that they amassed illegal wealth are false, distorted and intentional.
鈥楳y family and my name have been falsely mentioned in reports published in newspapers,鈥� he added.
Amid criticism, ruling Awami League lawmaker Sayedul Huque Sumon submitted an application to the ACC chairman on Sunday seeking necessary action against the former IGP.
On Monday, a Supreme Court lawyer, Md Salah Uddin Reagan, filed a writ petition with the High Court, seeking its directive that the ACC conduct an inquiry into the reported allegations.
The lawyer also sought to issue a rule asking the ACC to explain why its inaction and failure to take appropriate action against the reported allegations should not be declared illegal.
Benazir joined the police force as an assistant superintendent of police in February 1988.
Before his retirement in 2022, he served as the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion and commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police before he was promoted to the post of IGP on April 15, 2020.
On December 10, 2021, the United States declared former RAB director general Benazir Ahmed, along with five other serving and former officials of Bangladesh, ineligible for entry to the country as part of its slapping sanctions on officials and entities of eight countries for human rights abuse.