Professor Abul Barakat arrested

Police arrested economist and former Janata Bank chairman Professor Abul Barkat. He was arrested from the Dhanmondi area in the capital on Thursday night.

Confirming the matter, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB) joint commissioner Md Nasirul Islam told Prothom Alo that Abul Barkat was arrested from Dhanmondi around 11:45 pm on Thursday. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has a case filed against him. Based on that, the DB conducted a drive and arrested him.

On 20 February, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against Abul Barkat and 22 others on charges of embezzling Tk 2.97 billion in the name of AnonTex Group.

The agency said former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman and Abul Barkat, in collusion, granted loans to 22 companies of the AnonTex Group through forgery. The case alleges that Atiur Rahman and his associates embezzled the money using various unethical means.

Abul Barkat, former chairman of the economics department at Dhaka University, also served as president of the Bangladesh Economic Association. In addition, he held the post of chairman of Janata Bank during the previous Awami League government.