The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday interrogated another six officials of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) in connection with the allegation of embezzlement of nearly Tk1,300 crore by Ananda Shipyard.
An ACC team, led by its deputy director and inquiry officer Zainul Abedin Shebly, started questioning them at 10am and continued till 3pm at the ACC head office, the commission’s public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya told UNB.
The IBBL officials grilled yesterday were former executive president Farid Uddin Ahmed, former deputy executive presidents (Investment Wing) Harun-Ur-Rashid Chowdhury and Shamsul Huda, retired executive vice president Setaur Rahman, deputy managing director Nurul Huda and retired executive vice president Syed Abdullah Mohammad Saleh.
The ACC today will also question executive vice president Engr Mohammad Ali, senior vice president Engr Moiz Uddin, vice president Hasnayn Abid, retired assistant vice president Delwar Hossain, assistant vice president Mahmud Hossain Khan and retired senior officer Engr Zahidul Islam.
In April 2014, the ACC initiated a probe into the allegation of swindling out of about Tk1,300 crore from 14 commercial banks and financial institutions by Ananda Shipyard, a manufacturer and exporter of ships.
According to the graft allegation, Ananda Shipyard took loans of Tk1,300 crore from 14 commercial banks and financial institutions showing fake documents. The banks disbursed the loans violating banking rules when Ananda Shipyard had no experience of building ships.
The Bangladesh Bank in its inspections also found such irregularities in disbursing loans by the banks and financial institutions.
According to the central bank report, Ananda Shipyard took loans of Tk456.34 crore from IBBL while about Tk187 crore from Arab-Bangladesh Bank Limited, Tk221.2 crore from Mercantile Bank, Tk114.21 crore from One Bank, Tk238 crore from Janata Bank, Tk 24crore from Bangladesh Development Bank and Tk15.14 crore from NCC Bank.
Ananda Shipyard also took loans of Tk1.93 crore from Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company (BIFCL), Tk 23.18crore from Finix Finance and Development Limited, Tk 11.75 crore from Fareast Finance and Development Limited, Tk3.72 crore from IDLC, Tk2.92 crore from Housing Finance and Investment Limited, Tk3.92 crore from Haj Finance Company Limited, and Tk3 crore from Premier Leasing & Finance Limited.
