The Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday took decisions to conduct inquiries against the ousted Awami League government鈥檚 45 ministers, state ministers, lawmakers, secretary and beneficiaries on the charges of amassing illegal wealth through corruption.
The anti-graft national watchdog took the decisions at a meeting held at its headquarters with its chairman Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah in chair.
One of its decisions was to start an inquiry against former senior secretary for the disaster management and relief ministry Shah Kamal over allegations of corruption, abuse of power, misconduct, bribery, and amassing illegal wealth, said the commission鈥檚 secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen.
Earlier on Friday, the police raided Shah Kamal鈥檚 Mohammadpur residence and recovered Tk 3 crore,聽 including foreign currencies, and later on Saturday arrested him from Moakhali.
Besides, the commission has launched an inquiry against former Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University vice chancellor Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed and his private secretary Dr Russell over allegations of receiving bribes of around Tk 100 crore through illegal appointments.
It also started an inquiry against National Board of Revenue second secretary Arjina Khatun on the charges of amassing illegal wealth, said commission secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen on Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, Supreme Court lawyer M Sarwar Hossain submitted an application to the commission chairman seeking an inquiry against the overthrown Awami League government鈥檚 18 ministers, 23 lawmakers over the unusual increase in their wealth.
The affidavits submitted by the ministers and lawmakers before the 12th parliament elections held on January 7 show that the incomes and wealth of many candidates have doubled, tripled, or increased manifold during their stay in power over the years.
The anti-corruption chairman just before the 12th national election told reporters that they would scrutinise the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, but no steps were taken afterwards in this regard.
Commission officials said that the scrutiny could not be carried out owing to pressure from different sides.
Now that the Sheikh Hasina government was overthrown on August 5, the commission was now starting its investigations into the allegations of abnormal increase in the wealth of the ministers and lawmakers.
Following the application of lawyer Sarwar Hossain, the Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday decided to run an inquiry against 41 former Awami League government ministers, state ministers and lawmakers through three teams led by its three directors, said one of its directors general.
The former ministers are under its scanner are former commerce minister Tipu Munshi, former food ministers Sadhan Chandra Majumder, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni, former health minister Zahid Maleque, former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, former jute and textile minister 聽Golam Dastgir Gazi, former shipping minister Shajahan Khan, former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former minister for expatriates鈥� welfare and overseas employment Imran Ahmed, former industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, former local government, rural development and cooperatives minister Md Tazul Islam, former information minister Hasanul Haque Inu, former food minister Qumrul Islam,聽former state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, former state minister for religious affairs Faridul Haque, former state minister Junaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for education Zakir Hossain, former state minister Zahid Ahsan Russell, former state minister for industries Kamal Ahmed Mojumder.
Former lawmakers to face the anti-corruption probes are Benazir Ahmed [Dhaka-20], AKM Sarwar Jahan [Kushtia-1], Shariful Islam Jinnah [Bogra-2], Shahidul Islam Bakul [Natore-1], Sheikh Afil Uddin [Jessore-1], Salim Uddin Tarafdar [Naogaon-3], Kazi Nabil Ahmed [Jessore-3], Enamul Haque [Rajshahi-4], Meher Afroz Chumki [Gazipur-5], Noor Alam Chowdhury [Madaripur 1], Sheikh Helal Uddin [Bagerhat-1], Swapan Bhattacharya [Jessore-5], Kazim Uddin Ahmed [Mymensingh-11], Kujendra Lal Tripura [Khagrachari], Muhibur Rahman [Patuakhali-4], Mamunur Rashid Kiran, Ziaur Rahman [Chapainawabganj-2], Enamul Haque [Rajshahi-4], Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapon [Joypurhat-1], Anwar Hossain [Pirojpur-2], Mamunur Rashid Kiron [Noakhali-3].
Most of the former lawmakers and ministers, however, of the ousted government have fled or have gone into hiding since the fall of the regime through a mass uprising.
The anti-corruption commission, meanwhile on Sunday, started an inquiry against former finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal鈥檚 wife Kashmeri Kamal, their daughter Nafisa Kamal, and three former lawmakers over allegations of embezzling Tk 20,000 crore by operating a syndicate to send workers to Malaysia.
The three former lawmakers are retired lieutenant general Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Nizam Uddin Hazari, and Benazir Ahmed.
The commission also decided to run an inquiry against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, and DMP鈥檚 former Detective Branch chief Harun Or Rashid.
Earlier on Thursday, the commission decided to initiate an inquiry against six officials of the home ministry, including former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, over amassing illegal wealth through taking bribes and money laundering.