JS committee forms body to probe Agrani Bank ‘loan scam'

A parliamentary body today formed a three-member sub-committee to give recommendations on a Bangladesh Bank report that got "huge irregularities in giving loans from the state-run Agrani Bank".

The parliamentary standing committee on Estimate also asked the sub-committee, headed by independent MP Yusuf Abdullah Harun, to submit its report before the main committee within a month, sources at the committee said.

Two other members of the sub-committee are ruling Awami League MPs --Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh and Wasika Ayesha Khan.

Bangladesh Bank today at the meeting of the parliamentary watchdog submitted a report on widespread allegations of irregularities in loan disbursement from Agrani Bank.

However, details of the BB report couldn’t be known immediately.

The meeting sources, however, told The Daily Star that the BB report mentioned allegations of giving loans of several hundred crore to various individuals and organisations without assessing risk factors.

The parliamentary standing committee on Estimate earlier in its meeting expressed serious dissatisfaction over the irregularities in giving loans from Agrani Bank.

The committee later asked the BB to submit a details report on the present situation of Agrani Bank.

The three-member sub-committee was also asked to submit recommendations on how to improve the state-run bank’s financial condition.