You must remember the controversial Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case that was settled 10 years ago. In which former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury were on the list of suspects. Although they were not indicted in that case, seven people, including the then Bridge Secretary, were indicted. They were later acquitted. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is going to resume the investigation of the controversial case.
Not only that, the agency is considering reinvestigating three corruption cases against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the construction of Bangabandhu Novotheater and half a dozen old cases, including corruption related to the purchase of MiG-29 fighter jets. In addition, corruption cases related to the purchase of frigates (warships); corruption cases related to the Meghnaghat power plant, floating power plant and appointment of consultants in BEPZA are also under discussion.
The work of verifying and sorting all the documents in these cases has already begun. The agency will soon conduct a fresh investigation after verifying the reports and allegations of the previous cases with the approval of the commission.
The ACC is considering resuming the investigation of half a dozen cases, including the Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case and the corruption case related to the construction of the Bangabandhu Novotheater against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Niko corruption case, and the corruption case related to the purchase of eight MiG-29 fighter jets.
Confirming the matter, a senior ACC official told Daily Industry that allegations of smuggling Tk 80,000 crore abroad have been made against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members. The investigation into the allegations is ongoing. In addition, many mega projects have been undertaken in the last 16 years. There have been various allegations of corruption in the implementation of these projects. In addition, there is controversy over the settlement of previous corruption cases.
‘The current commission has taken the initiative to review and investigate all the controversial cases anew. The activities will officially start once the commission gives its approval. In particular, a total of four cases, including the Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case and three corruption cases related to the construction of the Novotheater, are being given priority. The investigation of the cases will be started based on the opinion of the ACC’s legal department.’
When asked about this, ACC Director General Md. Akhter Hossain told Daily Industry, ‘I am not aware of the matters. I will inform you whether a final decision has been made or not. For now, I cannot comment on these matters.’
Padma Bridge corruption case
On December 17, 2012, the ACC filed the case at the capital’s Banani Police Station (Case No. 19) against a total of seven people. The then Secretary of the Bridges Department Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, former Superintending Engineer Kazi Md. Ferdous, former Executive Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (SOWZ) Md. Riaz Ahmed Jaber, EPC Deputy Managing Director Golam Mostafa, Canadian engineering firm SNC Lavalin Vice President Kevin Wallace, former Vice President of International Projects Department Ramesh Shah and former Director Mohammad Ismail were the accused in the case. After a long investigation of more than one and a half years, the ACC acquitted the accused from the case on September 3, 2014. A team led by ACC Deputy Director Mirza Zahidul Alam investigated the case. The current commission has taken the initiative to review and investigate all the controversial cases anew. The activities will officially start once the commission gives its approval. In particular, a total of four cases, including the Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case and three corruption cases related to the construction of the Novotheater, are being given priority. The investigation of the cases will be started based on the opinion of the ACC’s legal department, a senior ACC official (who did not want to be named)
Former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury were among the suspects in the Padma Bridge corruption conspiracy case. Regarding their exemption from the case, the then ACC Chairman Badiuzzaman said that the case was a corruption conspiracy case. We filed the case in the hope of getting more information in the investigation. During the investigation, the ACC investigation team conducted a drive in the country and Canada. The ACC team went to Canada and collected some documents. Although the case was filed based on the assurance of the World Bank, the necessary information and evidence was not available from the donor agency and Canada for proof. As a result, it was finally decided to acquit all the accused from the case.
Corruption case in construction of Bangabandhu Novotheater
The investigation into three corruption cases related to the construction of Bangabandhu Novotheater is also going to start anew on suspicion of the involvement of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On March 27, 2002, during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, the then Anti-Corruption Bureau filed three cases at Tejgaon Police Station against the previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and related ECNEC members.
I do not know the issues. I will let you know if any final decision has been made. For now, I cannot comment on these issues, ACC Director General Md. Akhter Hossain added.
When the bureau was abolished and the ACC was formed, the cases were transferred to the commission. Seven people were accused in one of the three cases, eight in one and 12 in the other. On August 24, 2005, Justice Sultan Hossain Khan’s commission ordered the filing of charge sheets in the three cases. The then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina filed two writ petitions in the High Court challenging the validity of the cases. On March 4, 2010, the High Court declared the order to file the charge sheet illegal. The court observed that the three cases were filed with malicious intent to defame the former Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina). The cases alleged corruption in appointing the contractor for the construction of the Bangabandhu Novotheater by changing the name of Maulana Bhashani, and causing a loss of Tk 52 crore to the state by illegally increasing the cost.
6 more cases under process
According to ACC sources, six more old corruption cases acquitted of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by the court will be investigated anew. One of the cases is the Niko corruption case. The case was filed against Sheikh Hasina and seven others on charges of illegally allowing foreign company Niko to extract gas from three gas fields during the previous caretaker government, i.e. on December 9, 2007. It is alleged that the accused, in collusion with each other, caused financial loss of Tk 13,630.5 billion to the state by allowing Niko Resources to extract 1,794 BCF of gas illegally.
The corruption case was filed during the defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau, i.e. on December 11, 2001, on charges of corruption in the purchase of eight MiG-29 fighter jets. Five people, including Sheikh Hasina, were accused in the case. The case statement says that in 1999, when Sheikh Hasina was the Prime Minister, she signed a contract to purchase 16 MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia in violation of the policy. Eight of them were delivered and a price of $129 million or Tk 7 billion in the then currency was paid. The government suffered a loss of about Tk 7 billion as eight of the 16 were not delivered.
In addition, a corruption case was filed on December 11, 2001, during the time of the defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau, on charges of corruption in the purchase of eight MiG-29 fighter jets. Five people, including Sheikh Hasina, were accused in the case. The case statement states that in 1999, Sheikh Hasina, while she was the Prime Minister, signed a contract to purchase 16 MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia in violation of the policy. Eight of them were delivered and a price of $129 million or Tk 7 billion in the then currency was paid. The government suffered a loss of about Tk 7 billion as eight of the 16 were not delivered.
On the other hand, during the BNP-led four-party coalition government, i.e. on August 7, 2002, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which was abolished, filed the Korean frigate purchase corruption case against Sheikh Hasina and five others on charges of corruption in the purchase of frigates. The case alleges that the state suffered a loss of Tk 4.47 billion by giving the work to the fourth lowest bidder South Korean company instead of the lowest bidder Chinese company in the purchase of old warships for the navy through corruption and irregularities.
In addition, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed a related case with Ramna Police Station on December 11, 2001 on charges of corruption in the establishment of the Meghnaghat Power Plant. A charge sheet was also filed against Sheikh Hasina in this case on October 14, 2002. The case alleges that the state suffered a loss of Tk 178.4 million due to irregularities and corruption in the establishment of the Meghnaghat Power Plant.
Another corruption case was filed against Sheikh Hasina and six others for allegedly giving the work to the second bidder instead of the lowest bidder for setting up a floating power plant in Khulna by taking a bribe of Tk 30 million in the name of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust. The case was filed at Tejgaon Police Station on September 2, 2007. In addition, on December 11, 2001, the defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau filed the Khulna floating power plant corruption case. In the case, Sheikh Hasina was accused of causing a loss of Tk 21.1688 crore to the state due to corruption in the appointment of consultants to BEPZA.
