The Anti-Corruption Commission is expected to submit its preliminary probe report on the allegation of Tk11.1bn embezzlement by Bismillah Towels Group from five banks.
ACC officials on Thursday disclosed the information to the Dhaka Tribune, saying that the five-member probe body had already reviewed the documents of five banks and completed quizzing around 70 officials who were allegedly involved in the embezzlement.
During the investigation, the probe body found four managing directors of private banks and some high-ups involved in the scam, they added.
On condition of anonymity, a member of the probe body said: “Bismillah Group Managing Director Khaza Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury, in connection with high-ups of some banks did the misappropriation. Prime Bank MD Ahsan Khasru, Brac Bank MD Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Mercantile Bank MD Ehsanul Haque and Bank Asia MD M Mahmud Hossain were found involved in the scam.”
“During the period of swindling, all these officials were working at Prime Bank,” he added.
The official also said: “We are likely to file cases against the accused people under The Money Laundering Prevention Act as soon as the probe report is submitted before the commission.”
The preliminary inquiry found that Khaza Solaiman, his wife Nowrin Hasib, Solaiman’s father Shafiqul Anwar Chowdhury and mother Sarwar Jahan are currently staying in Dubai, while Senior Manager Abul Hossain Chowdhury and another top official Riaz Uddin are in Malaysia and London respectively.
Sources said a Bangladesh Bank inspection last year first spotted that Bismillah Group allegedly embezzled around Tk3.93bn from Janata Bank, Tk3.06bn from Prime Bank, Tk1.64bn from Jamuna Bank, Tk1.49bn from Shahjalal Islami Bank and Tk629.7m from Premier Bank.
On February 26 this year, ACC formed a five-strong probe body headed by its Deputy Director Syed Iqbal Hossain to look into the allegation.
