Noman Mosharef :
Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Department of Narcotics Control had been raided four casinos at a time on 18 September 2019. After that both institutions continued drive against casino. Those who were arrested largely belong to the ruling party. At the end of the month, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) started their investigation from 30 September.
It has passed about two years since the ACC started investigation against 43 persons Later 200 names were added including politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and custom officials. Interestingly, after that ACC’s investigation activities moved at snail pace.
ACC had filed 23 cases against 24 people including Dhaka Mohanagar Jubo League (South) ousted President Ismail Hossain Samrat and businessman GK Shamim. ACC has submitted 12 charge sheets out of 23 cases. The anti-graft body has seized Tk 582 crore from accused people and placed charge sheet against 24 people out of about 200 accused.
The commission has not yet taken any action against the five MPs named in the casino case. They are Moazzem Hossain Ratan, MP of Sunamganj-1 Constituency, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon of Bhola-3 Constituency, Shamsul Haque Chowdhury of Chattogram-12 (Patia) Constituency, Pankaj Debnath, MP of Barisal-4 Constituency and former general secretary of Swechasebak League and Narayanganj-2 Constituency MP Nazrul Islam Babu.
Apart from this, the ACC investigated assets of Mollah Abu Kawsar, convener of Swechasebak League, Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Chattogram-12 MP and Whip, Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat of Juba League, GK Shamim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury,
Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Acting Director of Mohammedan Club, Shafiqul Alam of Krishak League, Anisur Rahman Anis, Arman, Awami League’s Enamul Haque Enu and his brother Rupon Chowdhury, Ward Councilor Mominul Haque Saeed, Rajib, Habibur Rahman Mizan alias Pagla Mizan, GK Shamim’s Cashier Sohail of Juba League, Casino Samrat Selim Pradhan, Former Chief Engineer of Public Works Rafiqual Islam , Additional Chief Engineer Utpal Kumar Dey and Abdul Hai, Executive Engineer Abdul Halim.
The charge sheet is being against Ismail Chowdhury Samrat, GK Shamim, Selim Pradhan, Zakir Hossain, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, Kazi Anisur Rahman, his wife Sumi Rahman, Enamul Haque Enu, Rupon Bhuiyan and Shafiqul Alam Firoz. The case also filed against Shafiqul Alam Firoz, Casino Saeed, Tarekuzzaman Rajib, Pagla Mizan, Enamul Haque, Arman, Prashant Kumar Haldar (PK), Engineer Utpal and Mumitur Rahman.
According to the investigation, more than 200 have been named in the casino case, but the accused are 24 people. The commission has even released 13 people of Public Works Department. They are, Public Works Department (Azimpur) Executive Engineer Ilias Ahmed, Dhaka Public Works Zone Additional Chief Engineer Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, Executive Engineer of Urban Public Works Department Mohammad Shawkat Ullah, Executive Engineer of Investigation Cell of Public Works Department Mohammad Fazlul Haque, Executive Engineer of Mohakhali Public Works Department Afshar Uddin, Supervising Engineer of Dhaka Public Works Circle-1 AKM Suhrawardy, Sher-E-Bangla Public Works Department-3 Executive Engineer Swapan Chakma, Supervising Engineer (Retd.) Abdul Momen Chowdhury, Retired Supervising Engineer of Dhaka Circle-1 Abdul Quader Chowdhury, Supervising Engineer of Dhaka Public Works Circle-3 Md. Maffen, Additional Chief Engineer Moinul Islam, Munif Ahmed, Executive Engineer of the National Housing Authority, and Ashrafuzzaman, who was suspended from the same organisation.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said if I question the goodwill of the ACC, it may also be lacking. Meanwhile, complaints came to the ACC again. There may be a shortage of manpower. However, the issues that should be discussed by the ACC should be given priority.
ACC Secretary Anwar Hossain Hawladar said that the matter is being investigated. No one will be exempted from corruption. The commission must take action against those whose corruption comes up in the commission’s investigation.
