Matiur Rahman, the former president of the National Board of Revenue's (NBR) Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal, is under scrutiny by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for the fifth time.
Despite four previous investigations, he has managed to avoid any punishment, leaving many puzzled about how he has escaped serious allegations without facing any consequences.
He was pronounced "innocent" by the ACC during the tenures of various governments, starting in 2004 under the BNP-led four-party alliance government.
He was acquitted again in 2008 during the period of the caretaker government, in 2013 under the Awami League government, and most recently in 2021.
In this regard, ACC officials state that they found no evidence of corruption against Matiur in the previous four investigations, which led to the conclusions they reached.
However, former and current NBR officials, requesting anonymity, described Matiur Rahman as "cunning," suggesting he often manipulated top officials to his advantage.
They also alleged that he might have influenced the ACC officials investigating the allegations against him previously.
How do officials feel about the issue?
When asked how Matiur managed to escape any punishment, ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmin told reporters on June 23 that there had been no proper evidence against him earlier and hence the probe did not go any further.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said: "Corruption has grown so widespread in Bangladesh that it has created an environment of impunity for those who abuse power. It is also an example that the ACC investigated corruption four times in a row, but nothing happened. It is not surprising.
"One reason may be that the demand for work is more than the capacity of an organization like ACC. So many incidents, one after the other, are being revealed, that may be beyond their capabilities.”
Iftekharuzzaman said it is natural for all to wonder if ACC officials conduct thorough investigations without being influenced by someone’s status or pressure from certain groups.
“I believe this is an opportunity for an organization like the ACC. If the ACC fails to act independently, it will be disappointing for the public, and confidence in the ACC will diminish,” he added.
Former NBR chairman Badiur Rahman said that the ACC did not investigate Matiur Rahman when he was chairman of the NBR.
However, at the time, a newspaper named “Shirsho Kagoj” published several reports on Matiur's corruption. Then Matiur Rahman won a case against the newspaper at the Bangladesh Press Council.
Asked why the ACC stopped investigating Matiur in four phases, Badiur Rahman said: "The ACC did not stop the investigations. The ACC concluded the investigations and said that Matiur was not at fault.
“Most importantly, when someone is accused and investigated by the ACC four times, regardless of being cleared each time, how can he be promoted? Many things may not be legally proved, but perceptions matter. When you work with someone for a few years, everyone observes his or her character,” he added.