The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday decided to launch an inquiry against the former chief of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank, Md Masud Biswas, over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through corruption, including taking bribes.
Besides, the commission also initiated an inquiry against former Chittagong University vice-chancellor Professor Shirin Akhtar over allegations of corruption.
The commission took the decisions as its intelligence unit found prima facie cases, said ACC deputy director (public relations) Aktarul Islam.
According to the allegations, the BFIU chief Masud, since assuming the post of Bangladesh Bank, had amassed huge wealth through abuse of power.
Masud concealed an allegation in exchange of bribes over irregularities in the procurement of aircraft by Sky Capital Airlines Ltd. He did not send a report on the irregularities to the law enforcement agencies, ACC officials said.
The ACC also mentioned that Tamal Pervez, chairman of NRB Commercial Bank, embezzled Tk 5,000 crore from the private bank, and he was also involved in other financial irregularities, but the BFIU chief sent a general monitoring report instead of sending an intelligence report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Policy, 2019.
Due to irregularities and an abnormal increase in prices, the transactions in the bank account of a share market-listed company named Himidri Ltd were suspended, but the suspension was withdrawn following the direction of the BFIU chief in exchange for money, it said.
There were specific allegations of money laundering against Tanaka Group, SA Group, and Anwar Group, but Masud did not refer these matters to law enforcement agencies by taking personal advantage.
S Alam Group chairman Saiful Islam, in collusion with Masud Biswas, laundered crores of taka abroad after withdrawing the money in loans from Islami Bank, said the ACC. Masud took unethical benefits from Thermax Group鈥檚 Abdul Kadir Molla and concealed the money laundering incident of Zeenat Enterprises in exchange for money, it added.
The ACC also decided to carry out an inquiry against Chittagong University鈥檚 former VC Professor Shirin Akhter over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through various corruptions, including illegal recruitment and taking bribes.
She also embezzled money from a seminar and exercised nepotism in an appointment at the university, according to the allegations.