The High Court has asked the government to explain within four weeks why its failure to investigate alleged large-scale corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion by top bosses of the Asiatic 3sixty Group since 2009 should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Sayed Jahed Mansur issued the ruling on Monday after hearing a public interest litigation filed by Chattogram-based Islamic scholar and social worker Enayet Ullah.
The court also asked why the Anti-Corruption Commission, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, and Criminal Investigation Department would not be directed to carry out a full investigation into the allegations.
In addition, the court instructed the agencies to dispose of the complaints already submitted by the petitioner.
The litigation was based on a report, published in Amar Desh on January 23, 2025, titled 鈥楢dvertisement Market in the Grab of Noor-Zaker: Asiatic Group鈥檚 Monopoly of Tk 3,000 Crore.鈥�
In separate complaints to the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Criminal Investigation Department, Enayet Ullah alleged that the group misappropriated thousands of crores of public funds under the guise of managing state-sponsored events.
The events include gala celebrations for the visits of the Indian president and prime minister in 2020 and 2021, the Mujib Birth Centenary, Joy Bangla concerts, and the inauguration of the Padma Bridge.
The complaints accuse former Awami League lawmaker and Asiatic Group chairman Asaduzzaman Noor of leading the alleged embezzlement through the group and its affiliate companies, including Asiatic Mindshare, Media Consultant, Forethought PR, Asiatic MCL, and Asiatic Events.
Other individuals named in the complaints include Sara Zaker, the vice-chairman of Asiatic Group, Iresh Zaker, managing director and son of late actor Aly Zaker, Morshed Alam of Mindshare and Media Consultant, Nevil Ferdous Hasan, managing director of Asiatic MCL, Ikram Moyeen Chowdhury, managing director of Forethought PR.
Lawyers Mohammad Hossain, Sabbir Azam, and Md Firoz Hosen represented the petitioner, while deputy attorney general Shafiqur Rahman Tanim appeared for the state.