The Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation against former Barishal city mayor Abul Khair Abdullah and 18 others of the local government body, confirmed the ACC Barishal divisional office on Thursday.
A letter, signed by Abul Qayyum Hawlader, assistant director of the divisional office, to officials concerned sought the personal records and related information of the accused.
The letter was served to former BCC secretary Masuma Akhter, administrative officer Lakitullah, head of the eviction section Swapan Kumar Das, surveyors Taposh, Nasir, Mashiur, architect Saidur Rahman, public relations officer Ahsan Ullah Romel, officials of asset section Firoz and Mahbubur Rahman Shakil, planning section Lokman and Kaltu, accounting officer Mashiur Rahman, market superintendent Nurul Islam, trade license superintendent Azizur Rahman, deputy assistant engineers HM Kamal and Saiful Islam Murad and supervising engineer Humayun Kabir.
The ACC has requested the chief executive officer of BCC to provide documents containing personal information including names, titles, departments, permanent and current addresses, national identity numbers, mobile numbers of the enlisted officials.
ACC asked for information about various tenders, employment records, property and financial allocation information, documents related to the ownership of the pond and sand filling, accounts of Tk聽1.3 million allocated for making banners for Eid.
ACC also asked for the records of Tk聽1.58 million allocated for boosting the ex-mayor鈥檚 Facebook page, and purchase documents against Tk聽50 million for buying laptops, drones, furniture, monitors and others.
According to ACC sources, some documents have already been submitted, but most of them have not yet been received.
Barishal ACC director Mozahar Ali Sardar said that the investigation against the former city mayor and others was ongoing. Currently, primary information is being collected, so, detailed comments cannot be made.
According to the complaint filed with the ACC, there are various corruption allegations including irregularities in recruitment, bribery, and illegal receiving of money from service recipients.
One of the prime accused Swapan Kumar Das, the head of the eviction section, allegedly played a key role in corruption as a statistician and close associate of the former mayor. He is also an accused in the case over a clash in the divisional city in 2021.
Swapan Kumar Das, however, denied the allegations and said that a hostile group was spreading propaganda against him.
BCC public relations officer Ahsan Uddin Romel said, 鈥業 personally received a letter from the ACC. Necessary documents will be submitted soon. I don鈥簍 know anything about the others.鈥�