The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman and former Army chief Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury yesterday denied his involvement in the alleged embezzlement of Trust Bank money.

"I want to categorically say that the allegations brought against me are not true," said the ACC chief.

"However," he said, "One such incident occurred. Some financial losses took place due to some reasons. But I cannot tell the amount."

"(But) Action has been taken against those involved in it and two cases involving that incident are on trial," he said at a press conference at the ACC head office in the city.

"If you want to know further about the incident you will have to contact Trust Bank."

"Those who have grievances against the Anticorruption Commission and me are bringing such accusations. People have right to free speech," said the ACC chairman.

Asked who will take the responsibility of the financial losses inflicted on Trust Bank, the former chairman of the bank said Trust Bank had to shoulder the responsibility of the loss.

"Others and I took decision at the time on advice of Bangladesh Bank."

Asked whether the ACC would investigate the matter, he said, "If there is a case the commission will definitely investigate as per rules."

The former energy adviser of the BNP-led coalition government, Mahmudur Rahman, on Saturday tried to file a case against ACC chairman accusing him of money laundering.

However, police did not accept the case on grounds of procedural lacunae.

Asked whether he would sue Rahman, a corporate executive-turned-government functionary, for libel, the ACC chairman said, "Anybody can bring allegation. It is my responsibility to refute it. There will be a legal battle on it."

Rahman, a former executive of the Beximco group, now chairman of Amar Desh Publications, which owns daily newspaper Amar Desh, alleged that Trust Bank went into the red after Chowdhury became its ex-officio chairman in 2002.

On allegations that installations were made at New DOHS violating approved design and those were made legal later by paying a small fine, the ACC chief said, "It is true that rules have not been followed. After returning to the Army ( on serving the UN peacekeeping mission) I took a decision on the issue through a committee."

He also responded to suggestions that if these were civil installations, they would have been demolished and that there were two sets of law in the country.

"There may be two sets of laws in one country. There are some rules. Work is done according to those rules. Those who are charged with looking into what happened in case of others would know it better," said the ACC chief.

Mahmudur Rahman yesterday told the BBC "I failed to file an embezzlement case against ACC Chairman with Motijheel Police Station. Police refused to register the case means this government was not transparent.