The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) considering the importance has selected over 50 cases filed during 1999-2006 against professionals, businessmen and officials to bring them to the trial process.

The commission also sued Mayor of Rajshahi Mizanur Rahman Minu and submitted charge sheet in a graft case against BNP leader Harris Chowdhury, Orion Group chairman Obaidul Karim and former whip and reformist BNP leader Ashraf Hossain.

Director General (admin) of the ACC Col Hanif Iqbal told reporters today at his office that the 50 old graft cases would be revived according to the convenience of the commission. Referring to press reports in the last few days that the commission is going to revive about 1,500 cases against leading politicians, he said, " it is true that some cases will be revived. But, the number of such cases is not more than 50."

Urging the reporters to recheck the information before dissemination, the DG said, "I did not see name of any political leader which you the reporters have written".

Actually the persons involved with the cases are people of different professions having corruption allegations, some ACC officials, 12 persons of a business family and tax evaders, he said adding the misinformation may give wrong signal to the people and cause panic among people.

Hanif Iqbal said, the ACC has taken step to file case against Rajshahi Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and his wife Salma Shahadat on charge of hiding information about their actual wealth and accumulating wealth beyond their known income sources.

He said, the ACC in its enquiry detected moveable and immovable property of over Taka 2 crore of Minu and his family which they concealed in the wealth statement submitted to the commission. Besides, ACC found wealth of around Taka 3.59 crore of Minu which is disproportionate to his legal income, he added.

The commission also filed a case against Dr Firoz Mahmud Iqbal, assignment officer of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and his wife Imtiyaz Begum for possessing wealth of over Taka 1.47 crore through corruption and misuse of power, the ACC DG said.

He said, Firoz misusing his power and post used two vehicles of LGED without permission of the authorities and three vehicles of Essential Drugs Company Ltd from February 2002 to March 2007 for self and family purposes. Firoz misused Taka 34.90 lakh of the government for fuel cost of the transports.

He said, the commission today approved the charge sheet of the case filed against BNP leader Harris Chowdhury, Orion Group chairman Obaidul Karim and former whip and BNP leader Ashraf Hossain on charge of taking a vehicle from the construction firm to allot the project work of Jatrabari and Saidabad Flyover.