The New Nation - Internet Edition

ACC approves charge sheets against Hashem, Bahauddin

BSS, Dhaka

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved charge sheets (CS) in three graft cases filed against different persons including former lawmaker MA Hashem and Swechchasevak League leader AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

Besides, the commission has decided to file case against former chief engineer of Roads and Highways (R&H) Fazlul Haque and his four family members on charge of acquiring illegal wealth.

ACC Director General Hanif Iqbal on Thursday said the commission approved the charge sheet against MA Hashem, chairman of Partex Group, as the allegation against him of acquiring illegal wealth of over Taka 17 crore was probed in the investigation. The ACC filed the graft case against MA Hashem with Ramna thana on December 5, 2007.

The DG said AFM Nasim, assistant personal secretary of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, earned illegal wealth of Taka 22.82 lakh and he concealed information about wealth of about Taka 3.61 lakh in his wealth statement.

The ACC also decided to press charge sheet against CBA leader of Rajuk Kazi M Amir Khasru and his wife Parvin Akter for amassing wealth of Taka 88.45 lakh and hiding the information in the wealth statement.

The commission decided to file FIR against former chief engineer of R&H, his wife Suraiya Haque and three sons for acquiring wealth of over Taka 14.16 crore beyond their legal income sources and hiding information of over Taka 5.25 crore in the wealth statement.

The DG said the ACC has decided to serve notices on Customs Super of Dhaka M Nurul Amin and assistant engineer of Kishoreganj district council M Sahidul Alam asking them to submit their wealth statements to the commission.

Foreign national dies in city

UNB, Dhaka

A foreigner, who recently took a room at a residential hotel in the city, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Khalicho, 26, a Nigerian citizen.

DMCH sources said Khalicho rented room no. 207 of Moon Star Hotel at Fakirerpool, identifying himself as a football player.

Khurshed Alam, an employee of the hotel, found him lying unconscious in the room and later rushed him to DMCH where physicians on duty declared him dead at about 10:45am.

No other details were available about the death.

Saifur says no to holding polls under emergency

UNB, Dhaka

Former finance minister and BNP leader M Saifur Rahman yesterday expressed his party's readiness to go to the polls and asked the caretaker government not to hold the next general election under state of emergency.

"Khaleda Zia has said that the BNP will take part in next election. We also favour that notion. But problems will surface if the election is held under the state of emergency," he told reporters at his Gulshan residence after an iftar party.

Saifur said he was ready to contest the polls if Khaleda Zia nominated him, and constituency was not a problem.

"I am ready to contest in any constituency in Sylhet," he said.

About party reform, Saifur Rahman, who once sided with the reformists and then renounced their stance, said the party's Secretary General and other policymakers would decide on that.

"I think there should be some reforms in the party," he said.

He said the 90-day caretaker government had taken too much time and now was the time to hold the election.

"The government has taken some good steps for reforms. But its priority should be next election. Staying too long in power this government has not done the right thing," said the once-outspoken politician.

Replying to a query on the expulsion of former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and former whip Ashraf Hossain, Saifur said there was no scope now for nullifying the expulsion decision.

Replying to another query, he said he was confident that his party-led four-party coalition would do better if the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh were glued in the run-up to the polls, which are slated for December 18.

Muggers shot a man, loot Tk 10,000 in city

UNB, Dhaka

Muggers shot an employee of a Grameenphone distributor and looted Tk 10,000 from him at city's Maghbazar area yesterday.

Witnesses said a gang of three muggers swooped on Mohammad Milon, 25, and looted the money after firing at him at Wireless Rail Gate at about 1pm.

Milon, who sustained bullet injuries in his right chest, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Ex-Chief Engineer, his family sued for graft

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday filed a case against former Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Fazlul Haque for amassing huge wealth illegally and hiding information about it.

A first information report was lodged with Ramna police station against the former Chief Engineer for acquiring wealth worth Tk 14.16 crore beyond his known sources of income and concealment of information of assets worth Tk 5.26 crore.

His wife Suraiya Haque, sons Sayeedul Haque and SM Fayezul Haque and Aminul Haque Shamim were also accused for assisting Fazlul Haque in committing the offences.

ACC deputy assistant director Aftab Uddin filed the case under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, section 109 of the Penal Code and section 15 of the Emergency Power Rules, 2007.