The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday sued senior Awami League leaders and former ministers Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and AKM Jahangir Hussein for amassing illegal wealth and concealment of information, apparently stoking up the purge against former ruling politicians.

According to sources, ACC assistant director Mozahar Ali Sarder filed a graft case with Ramna police station against the AL presidium member and former Environment Minister, Sajeda, for acquiring Tk 13.87 lakh beyond known sources of her income.

ACC deputy director Mofidul Islam filed another case with the same police station, much the same time, against former state minister Jahangir for amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 1.40 crore and concealment of information of assets worth Tk 76.45 lakh. Both the cases have been filed under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Powers Rules 2007.

They two are among a good number of high-profile persons listed as corruption suspects following a change of fortune through the 1/11 episode in Bangladesh's political scenario that brought the present reformist interim regime into the helm. Their names appeared on the fourth and last list of 35 graft suspects published by the ACC on October 4, 2007.

Earlier, ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told the

Commission's regular briefing that the anti-graft watchdog yesterday approved the filing of the cases against the two leaders

of the former ruling party.

He also informed that the Commission approved the filing of cases against managing director of Hamim Group AK Azad and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's APS Abdul Matin, a deputy secretary (now officer-on-special duty).

Hanif said the Commission would file a first-information report (FIR) against business-tycoon Azad for acquiring Tk 20.36 crore beyond his known sources of income and hiding information of assets worth Tk 4.94 crore.

A competent source told UNB that ACC deputy director Golam Mostafa would file the case with Ramna police station on Sunday under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Powers Rules 2007.

Colonel Hanif told the newsmen at the briefing that the ACC would file three separate FIRs against Matin on charges of "abuse of power and misappropriation through misuse and embezzlement of money from the exchequer".

He said the anti-corruption watchdog has filed two cases against five individuals after catching them red-handed while taking bribe. They were caught on the mousetrap laid to catch graft suspects in the act.

A case was filed on Wednesday with Chittagong Bandar police station against two Customs employees - Abul Kalam and Abdul Majid-for taking Tk 7,000 in bribe.

The second case was filed on July 6 with Barisal's Uzirpur police station against Nurul Islam, Jahangir Alam and Hasnat Hawlader, employees of the office of assistant settlement officer, Uzirpur, for taking Tk 3,000 in underhand dealings.