The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has lodged cases against former member of parliament Md Abdus Shahid of the Moulvibazar-4 constituency and former cabinet secretary Kabir Bin Anwar, along with their respective spouses, for accumulating disproportionate wealth and engaging in suspicious financial activities.
The cases were filed by ACC Assistant Director Khairul Hasan with the commission’s Dhaka integrated district office No 1.
According to the commission case report, Abdus Shahid is accused of acquiring assets worth Tk7,72,79,539, which the ACC found to be disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Investigations revealed that Shahid, along with his organization, conducted suspicious transactions totalling Tk26,93,90,395 across 18 bank accounts, including withdrawals of Tk9,98,78,349.
These funds were allegedly transferred, converted, and moved in violation of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The ACC’s probe revealed that Shahid’s total net assets amounted to Tk9,55,71,250, while his admissible income was Tk3,15,77,761, leaving a discrepancy of Tk7,72,79,539, or 80% of his total assets.
The investigation also implicated his wife, Umme Kulsum, who allegedly acquired assets worth Tk39,22,788 beyond her known income.
The ACC suspects additional undeclared assets may exist under her name or in benami accounts and has issued a notice requiring her to submit a detailed statement of her assets.
In a separate case, the ACC accused former cabinet secretary Kabir Bin Anwar, his wife Toufika Ahmed, and their son of acquiring assets worth Tk4,53,73,738 beyond their legitimate income and conducting suspicious financial transactions totalling Tk7.79 crore and $22,280.
The commission investigations revealed that Toufika Ahmed, a homemaker, holds immovable properties worth Tk3,62,68,960 and movable assets worth Tk34,16,681, with a total valuation of Tk3,96,85,641.
Her legitimate income, as per tax records, was found to be Tk17,74,531, while her expenses amounted to Tk74,62,628, leaving a discrepancy of Tk4,53,73,738 against her known income.
Kabir is alleged to have abused his authority during his tenure from 2003 to 2024 to acquire illicit wealth, later transferring and maintaining it under his wife’s and son’s names to legitimize it.
Despite being a homemaker, Toufika Ahmed conducted financial transactions amounting to Tk3,97,14,359 and $11,140 in deposits, and Tk3,81,47,678 and $11,140 in withdrawals across six bank accounts, including one in the name of Anjuman Mufidul Islam, where she serves as chairperson.
Evidence suggests these funds were personal rather than organizational, raising suspicions of money laundering, as mentioned in the commission report.
