Staff Reporter :
The state-owned Sonali Bank and BRAC Bank authorities have taken action against 10 of their officials for their involvement in misappropriating funds amounting to Tk 185 million and for wrongful identification of Jahalam, who spent three years in jail instead of real accused on charges of embezzlement.
Among the 10 officials, eight are from Sonali Bank and two are from BRAC Bank.
The banks said this in two separate reports submitted in the High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader on Wednesday.
The lawyers of the two banks submitted the reports in the court.
Sonali Bank has taken departmental action against its eight officers for their negligence in discharging duties.
The eight accused Sonali Bank officers are former managers of Mirpur Cantonment branch Azizul Hoque and Begum Akhlafun Nahar, former senior officer of the same branch Nizam Uddin, supporting sub-staff of the branch Md Moinul Hoque, supporting sub-staff of managing director’s office Md Mizanur Rahman, supporting sub-staff of local office Azizul Hoque, former Senior Executive Officer of local office Md Lutfar Rahman and Executive Officer of local office Md Mahtab Uddin, according to the report.
And the two BRAC Bank officers are Shaymoli Branch’s Manager Sabina Sarmin and Asad Gate Barnch’s Operation Manager Md Faysal Kayes. They are required not to attend in the office during their suspension time.
The BRAC Bank report said, an account named Mehrun Samad Traders was fraudulently opened by Abu Salek where he used his name as Golam Mortoza. The account was introduced by Md Faysal Kayes and afterwards approved by Sabrina Sarmin though they did not know the man in person.
Even the two officers went to Jahalam’s work place and identified him as Abu Salek. Now after suspension the BRAC Bank has asked them to clarify as to why they went to Jahalam’s work place. After hearing the reports the HC fixed October 24 for further hearing on the issue.
Earlier, the same HC bench ordered the ACC and the banks concerned to submit internal investigation reports regarding Jahalam’s ordeal. The HC bench passed the order after hearing a suo moto rule issued earlier by the same court.
On July 11, the ACC acknowledged to the court that it was wrong on the part of its investigation officers to have identified Jahalam as Abu Salek, the real accused in 26 cases regarding the misappropriation of funds from the Sonali Bank.
In its internal investigation report on Jahalam’s identity mix-up, the ACC probe body also alleged that the officers of BRAC Bank and other banks had also played a role in identifying the wrong person and derailing the ACC investigations.
On August 21, the ACC lawyer informed the court that the anti-corruption body had proceeded departmental action against the 11 officers who were found responsible for identity mix-up. The court then ordered the ACC to submit the details of the officers on August 28. Jahalam, who spent three years in jail instead of the real accused, was released from prison on February 04. Jahalam was arrested on February 6, 2016 instead of Abu Salek, who is the real accused in 26 cases that the ACC had filed in 2014 over loan fraud and embezzlement amounting to Tk 185 million from the Sonali Bank.
Last year, several media reports brought the matter of Jahalam’s innocence to the ACC’s attention, forcing further investigation into the matter.
Eventually, the ACC found Jahalam’s claims of innocence to be true.
The state-owned Sonali Bank and BRAC Bank authorities have taken action against 10 of their officials for their involvement in misappropriating funds amounting to Tk 185 million and for wrongful identification of Jahalam, who spent three years in jail instead of real accused on charges of embezzlement.
Among the 10 officials, eight are from Sonali Bank and two are from BRAC Bank.
The banks said this in two separate reports submitted in the High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader on Wednesday.
The lawyers of the two banks submitted the reports in the court.
Sonali Bank has taken departmental action against its eight officers for their negligence in discharging duties.
The eight accused Sonali Bank officers are former managers of Mirpur Cantonment branch Azizul Hoque and Begum Akhlafun Nahar, former senior officer of the same branch Nizam Uddin, supporting sub-staff of the branch Md Moinul Hoque, supporting sub-staff of managing director’s office Md Mizanur Rahman, supporting sub-staff of local office Azizul Hoque, former Senior Executive Officer of local office Md Lutfar Rahman and Executive Officer of local office Md Mahtab Uddin, according to the report.
And the two BRAC Bank officers are Shaymoli Branch’s Manager Sabina Sarmin and Asad Gate Barnch’s Operation Manager Md Faysal Kayes. They are required not to attend in the office during their suspension time.
The BRAC Bank report said, an account named Mehrun Samad Traders was fraudulently opened by Abu Salek where he used his name as Golam Mortoza. The account was introduced by Md Faysal Kayes and afterwards approved by Sabrina Sarmin though they did not know the man in person.
Even the two officers went to Jahalam’s work place and identified him as Abu Salek. Now after suspension the BRAC Bank has asked them to clarify as to why they went to Jahalam’s work place. After hearing the reports the HC fixed October 24 for further hearing on the issue.
Earlier, the same HC bench ordered the ACC and the banks concerned to submit internal investigation reports regarding Jahalam’s ordeal. The HC bench passed the order after hearing a suo moto rule issued earlier by the same court.
On July 11, the ACC acknowledged to the court that it was wrong on the part of its investigation officers to have identified Jahalam as Abu Salek, the real accused in 26 cases regarding the misappropriation of funds from the Sonali Bank.
In its internal investigation report on Jahalam’s identity mix-up, the ACC probe body also alleged that the officers of BRAC Bank and other banks had also played a role in identifying the wrong person and derailing the ACC investigations.
On August 21, the ACC lawyer informed the court that the anti-corruption body had proceeded departmental action against the 11 officers who were found responsible for identity mix-up. The court then ordered the ACC to submit the details of the officers on August 28. Jahalam, who spent three years in jail instead of the real accused, was released from prison on February 04. Jahalam was arrested on February 6, 2016 instead of Abu Salek, who is the real accused in 26 cases that the ACC had filed in 2014 over loan fraud and embezzlement amounting to Tk 185 million from the Sonali Bank.
Last year, several media reports brought the matter of Jahalam’s innocence to the ACC’s attention, forcing further investigation into the matter.
Eventually, the ACC found Jahalam’s claims of innocence to be true.
