Charges filed in 80pc of corruption cases

Over the past year, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a total of 399 cases related to irregularities, corruption, and money laundering. In these cases, more than 1,000 influential individuals have been accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina—ousted in the July mass uprising—her family members, former ministers, and sitting members of parliament.

According to the ACC, these cases involve allegations of abuse of power, embezzlement of funds from major development projects, illegal land allotments, and the accumulation of wealth beyond known sources of income.

Some are also accused of extortion, manipulation of government tenders, and land grabbing.

A number of individuals are alleged to have laundered money and purchased multiple properties and businesses abroad in countries such as the United States, Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, and Canada. There are also allegations of stock market fraud, manipulation that led to the loss of billions by investors, and misuse of influence to obtain large loans from banks, which were then embezzled.

ACC data shows that between July last year and June this year, 768 investigations were initiated. In this period, 399 cases were filed, with the majority involving unexplained wealth. Investigation reports have been submitted in 321 cases—over 80pc of the total.

Between January and March this year alone, 71 cases were filed against public representatives and political figures. However, the highest number of cases (144) during this time were against senior government officials, including bureaucrats and police officers from the previous administration. The ACC also filed cases against 44 influential businesspeople affiliated with the Awami League.

Several ACC officials, speaking anonymously to Prothom Alo, admitted that rushing to file cases without thorough investigations has led to some mistakes. These errors could complicate efforts to prove charges in court. They believe that taking more time to conduct proper investigations would help ensure convictions.

Although the ACC is legally an independent body, it has long been accused of not launching probes against corrupt individuals without the ruling party’s consent. Many believe previous governments used the ACC as a political tool. ACC insiders have admitted that in the past, investigations required a 'green signal' from the government.

In many cases, inquiries launched after media coverage of major incidents were quietly dropped. Even when sufficient evidence of corruption existed, some individuals were exonerated.

However, following the fall of the Awami League government in the 5 August uprising last year, the ACC began operating more actively. The ACC chairman and the governor of Bangladesh Bank recently traveled to London with the chief adviser to accelerate efforts to recover laundered money.

At a press conference on 16 June, ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen said, "If there are specific allegations against those currently in power, we will certainly investigate. No one will be accused merely for their political beliefs. We work based on evidence."

The ACC has formed a special committee to investigate allegations of corruption and money laundering involving Sheikh Hasina and her family. On 26 December last year, an inquiry was launched into the allocation of government plots to Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and other family members. Based on allegations of misuse of power and concealment of information, six cases were filed over irregularities in land allocations within the Purbachal New Town Project in Dhaka. Charge sheets have been submitted in all six cases, which are now under trial.

According to ACC sources, on 14 January, two cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy for obtaining 20 kathas of land (two plots of 10 kathas each). Three cases were filed against Sheikh Rehana, her daughter Azmina Siddiq (Rupanti), and her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq (Bobby) on similar charges. In these cases, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, British MP and Rehana’s daughter, as well as Sheikh Hasina, are also named as accused. Tulip faces another case over allegedly receiving an apartment as a bribe from a real estate company—this case is currently under investigation.

Another ongoing case against Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, involves allegations that she falsified documents to obtain a regional director post at the World Health Organisation. Additionally, she is accused of embezzling around Tk 330 million (approx.

USD 3 million) from a bank's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund through her organisation, Shuchona Foundation. An inquiry into alleged tax evasion by the foundation has concluded with a recommendation to file charges.

ACC officials involved in the investigation said Sheikh Hasina is also accused in cases related to alleged embezzlement of government funds under development projects at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi, as well as in Jashore and Syedpur. In total, four cases were filed against 19 individuals—including her defence adviser, Tariq Ahmed Siddiq—accusing them of misappropriating Tk 8.12 billion through four projects across these three airports.

The ACC is also investigating the Awami League’s research wing, the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), and a family estate in Gazipur belonging to Sheikh Hasina and her relatives. Further investigations are underway regarding alleged corruption in large-scale projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, BEPZA, and eight other BEZA projects.

Other probes include allegations of corruption in programmes marking Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary, irregularities in mural installations, the Ashrayan housing project, and the allocation of shops in the Gulistan Freedom Fighter Shopping Complex.

The ACC is also investigating Sajeeb Wazed Joy for allegedly laundering USD 300 million to the Cayman Islands.

ACC investigations have revealed that former ministers, MPs, businesspeople, and government officials from the previous administration have amassed vast wealth both in Bangladesh and abroad. Many of them are now trying to sell these assets. Some are even issuing powers of attorney from abroad to sell properties in Bangladesh.

To prevent the disposal of these assets before trials are complete, the ACC has intensified efforts to freeze them. From July last year to February this year, courts issued 74 freeze orders at the ACC’s request.

The total estimated value of the frozen assets is around Tk 100 billion. These properties are located both domestically and overseas. The ACC found that former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury owns 580 houses, including 343 in the UK, 228 in the UAE, and 9 in the US.

On 16 June, the ACC wrote to UK authorities requesting the seizure of assets belonging to Bashundhara Group’s vice chairman Safiat Sobhan Sanvir and co-chairman Sadat Sobhan. Letters were also sent to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) regarding assets held by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s brother, Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, and former NRB Commercial Bank executive chairman Adnan Imam.

The ACC also uncovered property owned by Sheikh Hasina’s defence adviser, retired major general Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, and his wife, Shahin Siddiq, including 24 bighas of land, four flats, and a partial stake in another flat—all of which have been frozen by court order.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman told Prothom Alo: "This level of legal action and asset seizure has only been possible because the interim government is operating without political influence. However, the ACC must ensure that weaknesses in investigation do not undermine the ability to prove these crimes. The ACC must break free from the longstanding culture of remaining inactive when a political government is in power."