Corruption allegations: Salman F Rahman, 3 ex-ministers, MP to face ACC probe

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday decided to launch investigations into graft allegations against Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and four others.
The four others are Md Shahab Uddin, former forest and environment minister; Nasrul Hamid, ex-state minister for power and energy; Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for posts, telecommunications, and information technology; and ex-Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon.
"Whoever is corrupt, be it a politician or a government official, we will take action ... . If the allegations are proved, action will be taken," ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen told reporters at her office yesterday.

Salman F Rahman, also the vice-chairman of Beximco Group, is accused of stock market fraud and embezzlement of thousands of crores of taka from shareholders through deception, according to a complaint.
He misused his influence to obtain around Tk 36,000 crore in loans from public and private banks, embezzled funds, and laundered thousands of crores of taka abroad, said the complaint.
The investigation will begin today, ACC sources said.
Shahab Uddin, forest and environment minister 2019-2024, is accused of misusing his power to acquire illegal wealth.
The documents said in "SUFAL" project, a five-year project involving Tk 1,502 crore financed by the World Bank, he and his son took 10 percent commission from contractors and embezzled millions of taka by showing fake expenses in various sectors. Shahab also took bribes between Tk 80 lakh and Tk 90 lakh for transferring each forest officer, the complaint said.
He issued DoE certificates to various factories that pollute the environment with liquid waste and did not have the factories' effluent treatment plants inspected.
The documents said he took Tk 7 crore to sign a resolution of land which forced the then chairman of Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFDIC) to hand over a piece of land to the Climate Change Trust.
Shaon, former lawmaker from Bhola-3, is alleged to have amassed illegal wealth by misusing his power.
According to the complaint, he misappropriated funds from various projects in Lalmohan and Tazumuddin upazilas in 2021-2022 fiscal year. He embezzled Tk 6 crore, 260.39 tonnes of wheat, and 234.33 tonnes of rice allocated for Kabikha (Food for Work) and Kabita (Money for Work) programmes.
The anti-graft body also decided to investigate corruption allegations against former state ministers Nasrul and Palak.
TRAVEL BAN
The ACC yesterday sought travel bans on Harun or Rashid, former DB chief (Dhaka Metropolitan Police), and his wife Shireen Akter. The ACC wrote to the Special Branch of police to this end.
The decision came after the anti-graft body decided to probe allegations against him of acquiring crores of taka through various irregularities.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday issued a 60-day travel ban on Taqsem A Khan, the former managing director of Dhaka Wasa, in connection with graft allegations brought against him.
ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir moved the petition.
In the application, Jahangir said Taqsem was trying to flee the country. So, a travel ban is needed to prevent him from leaving the country.
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