Tk 297 crore embezzlement: Travel ban against ex-BB governor Atiur, 22 others

A Dhaka court today issued travel bans to 23 accused, including former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman and economist Abul Barakat, in a case filed over allegations of embezzling Tk 297 crore through AnonTex Group. 

The other accused are former BB deputy governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razi Hasan; former BB assistant director Ismat Ara Begum; former Janata Bank managing director Abdus Salam Azad; former Janata Bank directors Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Md Imdadul Haque, Nagibul Islam Dipu, RM Debnath, Md Abu Naser, Sangita Ahmed and Nitai Chandra Nath.

Janata Bank's former deputy general manager Azmul Haque, former assistant general manager Ajay Kumar Ghosh, former manager (Industrial Loan-1) of Janata Bhaban corporate branch Md Golam Azam, executive engineer (SME Department) Md Shahjahan, Md Emdadul Haque, former DGM Md Abdul Jabbar, former deputy managing directors Md Golam Faruk and Omar Faruk; AnonTex Group Chairman Md Yunus Badal, Suprabh Spinning MD Md Anwar Hossain and director Md Abu Talha are among the accused as well.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Shahjahan Miraj, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted an application in this regard.

In the application, the IO said the case is now at the primary stage of investigation.

"The accused are attempting to flee the country. If they flee, the investigation against them might be hampered. So, an order is needed to prevent them from going abroad," said the IO in his application.

According to the case filed on February 20, it was alleged that Atiur Rahman, who was the BB governor from 2005 to 2015, and Abul Barkat, who was the chairman of Janata Bank from 2009 to 2014, allegedly colluded to approve loans amounting to Tk 297 crore to 22 entities under the AnonTex Group through fraudulent means.