Md Mahabub Alam :
Sonali Bank (SB) has directed its five branches to provide documents as wanted by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to carry out complete inquiry into irregularities allegedly committed there.
The bank has given the direction after ACC sent letters to the branches recently.
ACC sent letters to SB’s five branches twice asking them to submit irregularities related documents involving Tk several thousand crores. But they did not comply with.
“The bank authority sent a letter to us in the current week assuring of providing papers shortly”, ACC Deputy Director Mir Mohammad Joynal Abedin Shibli told it to The New Nation on Thursday.
SB has already directed managers and deputy managers of five branches to give two attested photocopies of documents required by ACC.
SB says, the branches were requested by the anti-graft watchdog to submit the documents twice but it was ignored.
The consequence of not complying with it will have to be borne by the concerned officials of the branches.
On December 2, the letters signed by Joynal Abedin Shibli were sent to five branches in Dhaka, Chittagong and Narayanganj through their managing director and chief executive officer.
But the officers of the branches did not comply with the request. ACC sent letters again on February 24.
The Commission asked for documents of Altex Industry, KNS Industry, Kengsan Industry, Tharmex Textile, Eco Cotton Mills, Rahima Food Corporation, Apex Weaving and Finishing Mills, Padma Policotton Knit fabrics, KSS Knit Composite and Pilusid Textile.
The documents include application forms, loan dispensing records, LCs, SB officials’ recommendations, investigation reports of Bangladesh Bank and SB, audit reports and documents related to export and import from Dhaka Local Office.
ACC asked the same documents from Foreign Exchange Branch, Dhaka of another two business entities occurred between 2010 and 2013. They are M/s Baril Apparel Limited and M/s Yusuf & Company.
It sought documents of Ruposhi Group from SB Narayanganj Corporate Branch.
ACC asked Sonali Bank’s Chittagong’s Laldighi Corporate Branch to submit documents of M/s Siddik Traders, M/s Bench Industry, Everest Private Limited, Uro Apparel Limited, Apparel Fair Ltd, Mukta Apparel, Libra Fashion, Bumond Garments, Hossain Apparel Ltd, M/s Acme Textile and Garments Ltd, Emon Apparel Ltd, Model Apparel, United Fashion, Due-drops Apparel Ltd, Roselt Garments, Kob Associates Ltd, Amico Fabrics, Tonni Knit Wear and Mousumy Towel Ltd.
The documents from Chittagong Agrabad Corporate Branch of Imam Traders, Jammir Vegetables Oil Ltd, AK Enterprise, Mohiuddin Corporation, Kamal Enterprise and Orchid Fashion are also wanted.
ACC Deputy Director Joynal Abedin Shibli said that earlier ACC got evidence of the irregularities of Hall-Mark Group from Sonali Bank.
Sources say, ACC’s primary investigation discovered irregularities of Tk 600 crore in Dhaka Local Office, Tk 100 crore in Foreign Exchange Branch, Tk 90 crore in Chittagong Laldighi Branch, Tk 300 crore in Chittagong Agrabad Branch and Tk 350 crore in Narayanganj Corporate Branch.
Sonali Bank in its inquiry found Dhaka Local Office, Foreign Exchange Branch, Bangabandhu Avenue Corporate Branch, Hotel Ruposhi Bangla Branch, Agargaon Branch, Gulshan Branch, Narayanganj Branch, Laldighi and Agrabad branches guilty. Its findings documents will be sent to ACC soon.
