The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday filed a case against Nazim Ullah Chowdhury, Bangladesh ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, for financial irregularities and causing loss to the national exchequer through misuse of power.

Deputy director of the ACC Abdullah Al Zahid filed the first-information report (FIR) with Shahbagh police station, alleging that the envoy "caused a loss of about Tk 20 lakh to the state, committed corruption in appointing gardeners and misappropriating money".

This happens to the first graft case against any incumbent ambassador of the country under the ongoing drives in the interim period against corruption.

The FIR states that the ambassador caused loss to the country's exchequer by shifting the ambassador's residence to a "farer place at more expensive price".

It was also alleged that the envoy showed appointments of gardeners for the embassy in Abu Dhabi but never appointed them. Instead, he allegedly misappropriated the salary the gardeners were supposed to get.

The FIR also said Nazim allegedly showed purchase of furniture for the embassy but "misappropriated the money".

The case was filed under section 5(2) of the Corruption Prevention Act 1947 and 409 of the Penal Code.

Earlier in February, Zahid made a trip to the UAE to inquire into the corruption allegations about the ambassador and other officials of the embassy. The inquiry took place based on a complaint lodged with the Commission.