The Anti-Corruption Commission is likely to complete investigation on the Bismillah Group’s embezzlement of Tk11.1bn from five banks by the end of next month.
Bismillah Group, the producer of terry towels, allegedly embezzled around Tk3.9257bn from Janata Bank, Tk3.0622bn from Prime Bank, Tk1.6379bn from Jamuna Bank, Tk1.4879bn from Shahjalal Islami Bank and Tk .6297bn from Premier Bank.
The commission has reviewed documents from all five banks and found they were involved in the scam. The investigation team interrogated several officials of four banks, except Prime Bank, whose officials are likely to be interrogated this week.
“We have interrogated several people, but all these people are ordinary bank officials. There must be key players who have not been identified as yet. We will search for the people and try to find who is involved with the scam,” said an ACC official wishing to remain anonymous. “We are hoping to submit the report within June 15 this year,” he confirmed.
On May 8, the ACC was scheduled to quiz 11 high officials of Bismillah Group, however, only Bismillah Towels deputy managing director Akbar Aziz Muttaqui and chairman of Network Freight System M Akhter Hossain were interrogated on the day. Nine officials, who did not respond to ACC’s notices were Bismillah Towels’ managing director Khaza Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury, chairperson Nowrin Hasib, directors Abida Hasib, Nahid Anwar Khan, Khandeker Muhammad Moinuddin Ishaq, Shafiqul Anwar Chowdhury, M Mainuddin, Sarowar Jahan and senior manager (accounts) Md Abul.
All eleven are accused in a case lodged with Ramna police station in relation with the embezzlement of about Tk1.02bn from Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd’s (SIBL) Eskaton branch.
Last year, a Bangladesh Bank inspection found Bismillah Towels Ltd, Hindul Wali Textile Ltd, and Alpha Composite Towels Ltd, all concerns of the Bismillah Group, were engaged in defrauding the banks from 2010 to 2012.
Irregularities included securing cash incentives against fake export documents, taking advantage of inland bills purchases and overpricing non-existing export items.
The ACC formed a probe team of five members on February 26 to investigate into alleged scam.
