The Anti-Corruption Commission has begun formal inquiry against national team cricketer and former Awami League lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan over allegations of amassing illegal assets and money laundering.
The commission also sent letters to different government agencies, including the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, seeking information in connection with the allegations against the cricketer, said its officials.
Shakib, who earlier served as the ACC鈥檚 goodwill ambassador, is now under scrutiny following the corruption allegations.
On April 9, the commission formed a two-member inquiry team led by its deputy director Mahbubul Alam to look into the allegations against Shakib.
Commission deputy director for public relations Akterul Islam said that the agency would take legal action based on the report of inquiry after its completion.
Earlier on April 6, ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen at a press briefing said that Shakib Al Hasan was under preliminary inquiry over multiple allegations of 鈥榠rregularities and corruption鈥�.
Once a top ranking all-rounder of the world cricket, Shakib Al Hasan, in 2018 signed a contract with the ACC to represent it as its goodwill ambassador. He also participated in the launch of the ACC hotline 106.
However, following allegations of irregularities, the commission in 2022 announced that Shakib would no longer serve as its goodwill ambassador.
Shakib was elected to the 12th National Parliament as a lawmaker from Magura-2 constituency, but the parliament was dissolved after the AL government was ousted on August 5, 2024 amid a student-led mass uprising.
Commission officials said that its inquiry started following a graft complaint submitted to it by Supreme Court lawyer Milhanur Rahman Naomi in August, soon after the fall of the AL regime.
The complaint accuses Shakib of multiple illegal activities, including involvement in share market scams, gambling operations, connections with gold smuggling rackets, fraud with crab traders and concealment of assets in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission.
The cricketer is involved in various business ventures, but the true extent of his assets remains unclear, according to ACC officials.
He held the top spot in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings from May 7, 2019 to February 9, 2024, the longest ever unbroken stretch for anyone to hold that position.聽
He was recently cleared to bowl again after being suspected of illegal bowling action while playing domestic cricket in England. The ace cricketer intended to bid farewell to test cricket with the match against South Africa in Mirpur last year but did not return to Bangladesh amid backlash at home.
Shakib last played for Bangladesh in the two tests against India in September 2024.
Shakib, now staying abroad, has also been implicated in several criminal cases, including the murder of a garment worker in Adabar in August 2024.