ACC files case against ex-high commissioner Khairuzzaman

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed a case against former high commissioner M Khairuzzaman on charges of embezzling Tk 15.8 million (1.58 crore) from the government’s exchequer.

ACC deputy director Md Anwarul Haque filed the case at its integrated district office Dhaka-1 under the section 409 of the Penal Code and the section 5(2) of the Money Laundering Act.

M Khairuzzaman served as Bangladesh's high commissioner to Malaysia from 1 September 2007 to 28 February 2009. Immigration police of Malaysia recently arrested Khairuzzaman from Ampang town in Selangor state of the country but he was released later.

The ACC in the case statement said the foreign minister on 14 January 2009 ordered M Khairuzzaman to hand over his charges in Kuala Lumpur and return to Dhaka but he left the high commission and stayed in Malaysia defying the order.

The foreign ministry later verified and investigated his various unapproved expenses. A two-member committee was also formed over the matter consisting of chief accounts officer Monirul Islam and director Md Khairul Islam of the foreign ministry.

Probe found that M Khairuzzaman drew huge amount of money though he was not supposed do so.

A department investigation initially found that he misappropriated a total of Tk 18,527,913 that including drawing Tk 897,408 for educational allowance purpose, Tk 1,093,135 in advance for travelling, 284,945 for children air passage and Tk 531,046 for procuring household equipment, according to the case statement.