- So far 63 AL leaders’ resources revealed
- Article 66 of Constitution says, a Bangladeshi dual citizen cannot become an MP, minister or state minister if he/she declares allegiance to another country.
The names of 63 Bangladeshis who have laundered money to acquire ownership of flats, houses, and business establishments abroad and have acquired dual citizenship have been revealed. Among them are former ministers, state ministers, MPs, businessmen, wealthy individuals and influential people. Many of them have been elected as public representatives by concealing the information in their election affidavits after acquiring dual citizenship in violation of the constitution. Later, some of them have also sat on the seats of ministers and state ministers. This information was revealed after investigating the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC said that they have acquired huge amounts of money through abuse of power, irregularities and corruption and have become owners of assets in the country and abroad. The ACC is investigating allegations of illegal acquisition of assets against them.
According to Article 66 of the Constitution, a Bangladeshi dual citizen cannot become an MP, minister or state minister if he/she declares allegiance to another country.
After the Awami League government was toppled in the student-public uprising on August 5, the ACC has been investigating allegations of corruption, extortion, extortion, tender rigging, drug trafficking and using muscle power against about 300 influential people, including former ministers, state ministers and MPs. Many of them are accused of acquiring wealth and citizenship in different countries by laundering money. Of these, 35 have acquired citizenship in different countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. 20 people have various assets, including flats, in different countries. Information on bank accounts of eight people abroad has been found. So far, this number has been found in the investigation. The ACC investigation is ongoing. Those involved in the investigation believe that many more names will be found in the future.
Sources said that the ACC has sent Mutual Legal Assistance Requests (MLARs) to the relevant countries seeking information on their assets abroad. A responsible source at the ACC said that so far no country has sent specific information on their assets. After the student-public uprising, murder cases have been filed against most of those ministers, state ministers, and MPs. They have been arrested and sent to jail in these cases. Meanwhile, the ACC is searching for their assets in the country and abroad. After the investigation, each of them will be shown arrested after the case is filed against them. Before or after the case, they will be questioned about their allegations on remand with the permission of the court. Those influential people of the ousted Awami League government have also been banned from traveling abroad.
A high-ranking ACC official, who did not want to be named, said that dual citizenship is not a crime listed in the ACC's schedule. However, those who are involved in irregularities, corruption, hundi, money laundering, and own assets known to be undeclared, will be brought under the ACC law. The ACC has sent letters to the countries concerned seeking information on the assets of dual citizens.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said that if someone is a dual citizen, they cannot participate in national or any other level elections. If someone hides this information and participates in the election, it is a violation of the electoral code of conduct. Then the commission will investigate and take legal action in this regard. And if someone hides information and is elected, then investigation and action will be taken against him. He also said that if someone does hundi business, money laundering, under-invoicing, over-invoicing under the guise of dual citizenship, it is a crime. The ACC will take legal action in these cases.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that participating in the election as a dual citizen and becoming an MP is a criminal offense. They themselves know that one cannot become a public representative as a dual citizen. In this case, they are participating in the election by hiding information. Again, they are deceiving another time by taking oath. They have gained various benefits by becoming ministers and state ministers; they have abused their power - all this is fraud. This is a multi-dimensional crime. They should be tried according to the appropriate law. If the dual citizenship of a public representative is proven, the Election Commission can cancel his membership. The Election Commission must be careful about this in the future.
Former cabinet members include Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed from the UK, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud from Belgium, Agriculture Minister Abdus Shahid from the UK, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid Bipu from the US, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat from the US, Local Government Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain from Switzerland, former Private Investment and Industry Advisor to the Prime Minister Salman F Rahman from the UK, Railway Minister Zillul Hakim from Japan, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak from the US, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman from Canada, Finance Minister Mustafa Kamal from the UK, LGRD Minister Tajul Islam from the UK, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury from the UK, and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali from the UK.
Former MPs with dual citizenship include Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif of Canada, Abdus Sobhan Golap of the United States, Shafiqul Islam Shimul of Canada, Tanvir Hasan of Germany, MA Wahed of Papua New Guinea, Nazrul Islam Babu of Malaysia, Nizam Uddin Hazari of Malaysia, Professor M Abdullah of Malaysia, Mahi B Chowdhury of the United States, Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury of Canada, Shamim Osman of Canada, Tanvir Hasan alias Chhota Monir of Germany, Shafiqul Islam of Canada, Salahuddin Mahmud Zahid of the United States, Habib Hasan of Canada, and Mahfuzur Rahman of the United States.
Apart from this, many people have flats and houses abroad. Among them are dismissed Jubo League leader Ismail Chowdhury Samrat in Malaysia, former Cabinet Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar in Canada, former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hai Bachchu in Canada, banker Amjad Hossain in the United States, former Padma Bank chairman Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat in Canada, former Dhaka WASA MD Taksim A Khan in the United States, S Alam Group boss Saiful Alam in Cyprus and Singapore, former president of Bangladesh Reconditioned Car Importers Association Habibullah Don in Malaysia, former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad's son Rahgir Al Mahi Ershad in Malaysia, former Oriental Bank manager Harun Or Rashid in Malaysia, former Orion Group official Mujibur Rahman in Malaysia, former secretary Harunur Rashid in Malaysia, owner of Paltan's Rokeya Mansion and Carplus car showroom ABM Azizul Islam in Malaysia, Director General of the Health Department Clerk Abzal Hossain has shares in Australia, Tamal Mansur, son of late Awami League leader and former MP Mohammad Nasim, has shares in the United States, Antara Selima Huda, daughter of late Barrister Nazmul Huda, has two flats in the UK, Anusoy Hossain, daughter of Anwar Hossain Manjur, has shares in the UK, Shayan Rahman, son of Salman F Rahman, has shares in the UK, Farzana Rahman, daughter of former NBR official Matiur Rahman, who was discussed in the goat scandal, has shares in Singtel Mobile Company in Canada, and Morshed Khan has shares in Singapore.
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