The Anti-Corruption Commission is launching an inquiry into the allegations of corruption, including money laundering, against national team cricketer and former Awami League聽 lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan.
Commission chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen disclosed the information on Sunday, responding to a query from a journalist during a press briefing on current issues at the commission鈥檚 headquarters in Dhaka.
Journalists pointed out that Shakib, now staying abroad, had previously worked as goodwill ambassador for the anti-corruption commission. In response, its chairman said, 鈥榃e fear that such a thing might happen that Shakib Al Hasan might also be an accused in ACC cases.鈥�
When asked about the basis for such concerns, he stated, 鈥業t is in our inquiry stage, and the details will become clearer after completion of the inquiry.鈥�
Once a top ranking all-rounder of the world cricket, Shakib Al Hasan, signed a contract in 2018 to represent the commission as its goodwill ambassador. He also participated in the launch of the ACC hotline 106.
However, following allegations of irregularities, the commission in 2022 announced that Shakib would no longer serve as its goodwill ambassador.
Shakib Al Hasan became the lawmaker from Magura-2 constituency from Awami League in the controversial election on January 7, 2024, but the government that was formed through the election was ousted amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5.
Commission officials said that the inquiry into Shakib started following a complaint submitted to it by Supreme Court lawyer Milhanur Rahman Naomi in August, soon after the fall of the Awami government.
The complaint accuses Shakib of multiple illegal activities, including involvement in share market scams, gambling operations, connections with gold smuggling syndicates, fraud with crab traders and concealment of assets in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission.
Earlier in November 2024, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit revealed that Shakib鈥檚 bank accounts were frozen as part of the inquiry.
Shakib has also been implicated in several criminal cases, including the murder of a garment worker in Adabar in August 2024, where he was named as an accused along with ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others.
Apart from this, a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate court on March 24 this year ordered the seizure of Shakib鈥檚 assets in a cheque fraud case involving Tk 4.15 crore.
Shakib is involved in various business ventures, but the true extent of his assets remains unclear, said ACC officials.
According to his asset declaration before the 12th parliamentary elections, Shakib claimed an annual income of Tk 5.55 crore. He reported having Tk 11.56 crore in savings, $24,261 in foreign currency, and an investment of over Tk 43.63 crore in the stock market.
He also declared ownership of 25 bhari of gold and movable assets worth around Tk 13 lakh, along with outstanding loans of Tk 31.98 crore in different banks.
Shakib Al Hasan held the top spot in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings from May 7, 2019 to February 9, 2024, the longest ever unbroken period for anyone to hold that position. 聽
Shakib was recently cleared to bowl again after being suspected of illegal bowling action while playing domestic cricket in England. The ace cricketer intended to bid farewell to test cricket with the match against South Africa in Mirpur last year but did not return to Bangladesh amid backlash at home.
Shakib last played for Bangladesh in the two tests against India in September last year.
He earlier said that he would retire from ODI cricket after playing in the Champions Trophy which concluded recently, but he wasn鈥檛 picked due to complaints raised against his bowling action.