BB officials' embezzlementACC seeks more time to provide detailed info

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday submitted a report to the High Court regarding the steps taken by the anti-graft body against the Bangladesh Bank officials who were allegedly involved in the embezzlement of Tk 3,700 crore.

The ACC report was submitted to the High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat, according to court sources.

In its report, the ACC mentioned that the commission does not yet have any specific information about the involvement of central bank officials in the embezzlement.

A committee has been formed to conduct an enquiry into the allegation, the ACC said.

However, the High Court set February 5 as the schedule of the next hearing in response to the ACC’s petition seeking more time to provide details on the issue.

The anti-graft watchdog in the report also informed that the investigations of 34 money laundering cases, including the ones filed against controversial businessman PK Halder, are also underway.

Earlier on October 18, the same High Court bench asked the Bangladesh Bank and the ACC to inform the steps they took against 249 central bank officials, including five former deputy governors, over the embezzlement of Tk 3,700 crore from different non-banking financial institutions which include the International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL).

During the hearing on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state while ACC lawyer Md Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the commission.