Special Correspondent :
Dozens of BASIC Bank loan scandal suspects have fled the country dodging the airport immigration and law enforcing agencies.
In this context, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is considering to seek the help of Interpol in arresting the suspects through Bangladesh police, official said.
The Commission filed 56 cases in connection with Tk 3,500 crore BASIC Bank loan scandal in 2015, accusing a total of 156 people.
The cases were filed with three Dhaka police stations — Gulshan, Motijheel and Paltan – however without involving former chairman of the bank Abdul Hai Bachchu, who resigned on July 5, 2014 from his post amid growing allegations that he misappropriated funds by approving shady loans.
Among the accused, 130 are chairmen and managing directors of 45 borrower companies and 26 are bank officials. Many of them are accused in multiple cases.
“At least 25 out of the total accused have already fled the country. They left the country dodging the airport immigration,” an ACC official told The New Nation on Friday on condition of anonymity.
He said the ACC imposed ban on foreign travel of the
accused and the immigration authorities were informed about the matter.
“We imposed ban on their foreign travel. At the same time, we requested the immigration department to put the names of the accused on the Exit Control List (ECL). Unfortunately, many of them could flee the country deceiving the immigration,” he added.
Bank’s ex-managing director Fakhrul Islam and proprietors of several companies who were involved in the loan scam are among those ran out of the country.
Fakhrul, who has been accused of most of the cases, left the country with his family after the ACC filed the cases. Like him, the Bank’s former Santinagar branch manager Mohanmad Ali also ran out the country taking his family with him.
“We have solid information that they are now living in Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They fled there to escape from the ACC prosecution,” said the ACC official.
He said they are now collecting necessary documents, passports, NIDs and other relevant information of the accused persons to approach for the Interpol’s help.
“We would seek their help through local police in arresting the culprits so that they can be brought to book. We would ensure their punishment,” he added.
On July 14, 2014, Bangladesh Bank sent a report on the BASIC Bank scam to the ACC, detailing how borrowers embezzled money from the bank’s three Dhaka branches (Gulshan, Dilkhusha and Santinagar) under shady companies and accounts.
Dozens of BASIC Bank loan scandal suspects have fled the country dodging the airport immigration and law enforcing agencies.
In this context, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is considering to seek the help of Interpol in arresting the suspects through Bangladesh police, official said.
The Commission filed 56 cases in connection with Tk 3,500 crore BASIC Bank loan scandal in 2015, accusing a total of 156 people.
The cases were filed with three Dhaka police stations — Gulshan, Motijheel and Paltan – however without involving former chairman of the bank Abdul Hai Bachchu, who resigned on July 5, 2014 from his post amid growing allegations that he misappropriated funds by approving shady loans.
Among the accused, 130 are chairmen and managing directors of 45 borrower companies and 26 are bank officials. Many of them are accused in multiple cases.
“At least 25 out of the total accused have already fled the country. They left the country dodging the airport immigration,” an ACC official told The New Nation on Friday on condition of anonymity.
He said the ACC imposed ban on foreign travel of the
accused and the immigration authorities were informed about the matter.
“We imposed ban on their foreign travel. At the same time, we requested the immigration department to put the names of the accused on the Exit Control List (ECL). Unfortunately, many of them could flee the country deceiving the immigration,” he added.
Bank’s ex-managing director Fakhrul Islam and proprietors of several companies who were involved in the loan scam are among those ran out of the country.
Fakhrul, who has been accused of most of the cases, left the country with his family after the ACC filed the cases. Like him, the Bank’s former Santinagar branch manager Mohanmad Ali also ran out the country taking his family with him.
“We have solid information that they are now living in Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They fled there to escape from the ACC prosecution,” said the ACC official.
He said they are now collecting necessary documents, passports, NIDs and other relevant information of the accused persons to approach for the Interpol’s help.
“We would seek their help through local police in arresting the culprits so that they can be brought to book. We would ensure their punishment,” he added.
On July 14, 2014, Bangladesh Bank sent a report on the BASIC Bank scam to the ACC, detailing how borrowers embezzled money from the bank’s three Dhaka branches (Gulshan, Dilkhusha and Santinagar) under shady companies and accounts.
